Search and Rescue
by onceuponajollyroger
Summary: When Killian Jones, a rescue swimmer for the US Coast Guard, pulled Emma Swan from the unforgiving sea he had no idea she would end up rescuing him right back. [Captain Swan Modern AU]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here's chapter one of my newest MC story! The plan, _right now_ , is for this story to be roughly twenty-two chapters long. I already have eleven written. I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

"You checked the weather reports for today, right?" Emma asked wearily as she helped David prepare the boat for launch.

He rolled his eyes impatiently at her and opened his mouth to respond. Before he could reply, Ruby shouted back from her place on board. "Emma, stop worrying. This is going to be fantastic. We have two coolers full of beer and it's a beautiful day. What could go wrong?"

Before Emma could shout back the list of numerous things that could go wrong, Ruby resumed her place sprawled out on the deck, already down to her bathing suit and ready to tan.

Mary Margaret rushed up from below deck after hearing the squabble. "And sandwiches! Don't forget I made sandwiches."

David gave Emma a knowing look, because Mary Margaret's sandwiches were _barely edible_ , before the two continued their preparations on the boat. Emma had been sailing before and was looking forward to going again, but David had never captained a boat before. Still, he insisted that he be in charge as this was _his_ new boat and they were all gathered to celebrate _his_ one year anniversary with Mary Margaret.

Hours into their trip, Emma had to admit she was having an amazing time. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, and the sun warmed her skin in the perfect way. After a long Boston winter, this was exactly what they'd all needed. Mary Margaret's sandwiches were actually good, which was a true miracle, and Ruby was behaving herself for the most part, probably because Victor was off at work and not around to impress.

The four friends spent hours laughing, joking, and reminiscing about past times together. They were all still in awe of the fact that Mary Margaret and David's wedding had already been one year ago.

"Emma, move, you're blocking my sun," Ruby scolded as she peered open her eyes to shoo Emma away.

Emma gave her a questioning look in return before the entire group froze and looked up to the sky. In no time, the picturesque, gorgeous day had turned gray and looming.

Emma's stomach began to knot as she noticed the waves in the distance. "I don't like this, David. It's time to head back," she said nervously, but trying to keep her composure.

David turned the boat around and began to head back to Boston, but they were at least two hours away from the city. They sailed on for a while with minimal trouble, but they knew that wouldn't last. Their nerves rose with each passing minute as the weather continued to worsen around them. Soon, the wind began to pick up pace, scarily swaying the boat along with the rough waves. Rain began pouring from the sky as if a whole additional ocean was being dropped on them.

Ruby huddled below deck, frozen in place with panic. Her sobs could be heard above deck over the roaring storm winds. Mary Margaret ran back and forth between decks trying frantically to help in any way she could. David and Emma fought to control the boat, but before long, they knew they were fighting a losing battle.

"What are we going to do?" Mary Margaret cried.

Emma's heart felt as though it would beat right out of her chest. They were at least an hour away from Boston, and there was no way they were going to make it.

"David, go with Mary Margaret below deck and call the Coast Guard. Give them our coordinates and tell them to hurry. I'll keep steering," Emma yelled as she practically pushed David from his place beside her towards the direction of the stairs.

David opened his mouth to argue, but stopped when he saw the fear in Emma's eyes. He grabbed Mary Margaret by the crook of her elbow and rushed below deck.

Emma worked to control the boat in vain. Waves were now pounding into the vessel from both sides, rocking the boat to the point that Emma truly thought they would capsize. _If_ she survived this, _she was going to kill David._

As if reading her mind, David rushed up behind her. "I called the Coast Guard. They're sending a rescue team. They should be here in twenty minutes."

"I hope we last that long," Emma said with a nervous gulp as she looked before her to see a massive wave approaching.

* * *

Killian attached his flippers and readied his equipment as Smeeson briefed the crew on their assignment over the loud buzzing of the helicopter. "We've got four civilians in a personal vessel about twenty minutes off coast. They're right in the midst of the damn storm."

Tina groaned from the cockpit as she checked the weather reports. "The storm's getting worse. You two need to hurry and get them up. Got it," ordered the petite blonde. She may have been smaller than all of them, but Tina had an air of authority the others wouldn't dare challenge.

"Aye, aye, ma'am," Killian and Eric chimed together. They'd had years to practice their chant, and it always grated on Tina's nerves, much to their delight.

The helicopter circled around the coordinates that had been sent, shining its searchlights at the unforgiving waters below in an attempt to spot the vessel.

"There" cried the copilot, Robin, as he pointed forward, "see the bow sticking out of the surface."

"Pull her around," Tina ordered to Robin as the two flew the helicopter into a better position. Once there, she turned around to address Killian and Eric. "Guys, we only have fifteen minutes of fuel to spare here. Grab who you can and get your asses back on board."

* * *

The four struggled to keep their balance on the quickly dwindling portion of the boat that was still above surface. The wind gushed above them at what must have been hurricane force. Rain pelted them, almost cutting their skin with its intensity and the waves continued to crash into them from all sides.

Emma was sure this was the end. There was no rescue in sight and the boat would be below surface within another five minutes. If they didn't freeze to death from the cold and wet, they would surely drown.

Mary Margaret and Ruby were in tears at her side. Emma sighed as she looked down at the approaching water. She didn't have the courage to face any of them. _This was her fault._ She knew David wouldn't check the weather. She should have done it herself. She could have prevented this. Maybe if she'd forced them to stay closer to shore, they would be home now watching movies and laughing together.

This was surely the end. Emma thought of the life she was leaving behind: a job that she loved, a beautiful apartment, and her dog. Emma's eyes widened in horror. Her dog. _Who was going to take care of Lady?_

Emma pushed the thought from her mind. Someone—Kathryn, maybe Victor— would take her in.

The boat sank even further, now causing them to be submerged in the water up to their knees. Just as Emma was fighting to make peace with the end, she heard a faint buzzing noise come from the sky. She looked up to see a helicopter approaching its searchlights scanning the waters.

"They're here!" Mary Margaret cried triumphantly as she pointed up to the sky.

David grabbed the flare he had taken from below deck, _Emma made him buy it_ , and set it off, waving it for the helicopter to see.

The bright red light caught the helicopters attention, as the four were illuminated by its searchlights immediately.

 _They were saved._

They watched in fascination as two bodies clad in bright orange wetsuits jumped into the water and began swimming towards them.

Two figured approached the boat and carefully climbed aboard what was still above surface.

"We're rescue swimmers with the Coast Guard. We're here to get you out," one said in a lilting British accent. _British?_ Emma thought that was curious, but was immediately distracted when the swimmers began questioning David.

"Is there anyone else?" the second asked as they both looked around, surveying the waters around them.

"No, just us four," David answered confidently.

The British one gave a thumbs up to the helicopter above then turned back to the group. "Alright, you two are going up first," he said as he pointed to Emma and David.

"No," they both cried in unison.

"Take her first," David insisted as he practically shoved Mary Margaret into the other swimmer's hands.

Emma looked back to the first— the one with the British accent. She stared into his bright, sea blue eyes pleadingly as she gestured to Ruby. "Get her out. She's panicking."

The swimmer stared back at her in conflict as he replied. "You're not a good swimmer."

Emma narrowed her eyes at him in surprise. "How do you—"

Before she could finish her question, a basket arrived from the helicopter above. The two swimmers grabbed Mary Margaret and Ruby as they had been directed and secured them inside. They signaled up to the helicopter, which then began reeling in the cable, pulling the basket out of the water and through the air.

When the basket was halfway to the helicopter, the boat was hit with an enormous wave, scattering the remaining party.

Emma was pulled under the waves and dragged with an overwhelming force. She felt as if her body was weightless as she was thrown about like a doll. She kicked frantically, struggling before she reached the surface and took a frantic breath. That damn rescue swimmer was right. Somehow _he knew_ she wasn't a good swimmer. She could barely dogpaddle. Emma breathed rapidly as she kicked with all her might to stay above the surface.

She heard her name being called, _David's voice_ , but it was from far off. She was goner. Emma began to lose her battle with the forceful water and felt her body slipping down. Each kick to the surface began to do less and less for her as she struggled to get air. Finally, Emma kicked another time, only to feel the cold reality of water over her head. _This was it._

Emma opened her eyes to be met with dark, dark water. She could faintly see the surface above her, taunting her, but it was slowly getting further and further away. Suddenly, a hand gripped her shoulder and pulled her through the waters and above the surface.

She coughed up water, salty, burning ocean water, as she blinked her eyes and struggled to get her bearings.

"Emma," came that British accent from before. "Emma, you're alright. I've got you. You're alright now. Stay with me, love," he urged as he pulled her through the waves.

Emma was confused. She felt nauseous from the ocean water she'd imbibed and the sky above her blurred. She felt her body soaring through the water as if she was riding a speedboat. _This guy was fast_ , she thought as she weakly tried to kick her feet and help, but it was useless.

Finally, Emma had come back around once the two had stopped and she saw David being held by the other swimmer.

"Thank God you're okay," David said in relief as he smiled weakly towards Emma. She swore she saw tears roll down his cheek, but they were both soaking wet, so she couldn't be sure.

The four huddle together in the water for another minute until finally the basket returned to them.

"Take her up first," the other swimmer insisted as he nodded towards Emma.

Her swimmer helped Emma into the basket, making sure she was secure before he held onto the side and gave a signal to the helicopter above. The two slowly ascended into the air as the cable was lifted into the helicopter.

"It's alright, Emma. We're almost there. You're safe now," the swimmer assured as he brushed his hand over her hair. Emma instantly calmed as she stared back into his bright eyes and felt her heart rate slow. _He wouldn't let anything happen to her._

Finally, the basket reached the opening of the helicopter. Another man pulled Emma aboard and then helped her swimmer inside.

"Hurry up with the basket, Smeeson. The storm's getting worse," her swimmer ordered as he helped her take a seat inside the helicopter.

The man, _Smeeson_ , quickly readied the basket and sent it back down for David and the other swimmer.

Mary Margaret and Ruby huddled together on the other side of the helicopter, while Emma's rescuer grabbed a blanket from underneath her seat and wrapped it around her shivering body. She began crying lightly, and grimacing, _because she was crying and people could see her_ , but she couldn't help it.

They almost died, and she just wanted to be home in her cozy apartment, watching old movies and cuddling with Lady. He wiped away a few stray tears and gave her a gentle smile. "There now, love. You're safe. You'll be home soon," he soothed before pulling the blanket tighter around her and heading back toward the other man.

The basket with David and the other swimmer had finally reached the helicopter. Emma watched as her swimmer grabbed David's arm, helping inside the vessel. Then, he turned around to reach for the other swimmer, but just as he did, a strong gush of wind knocked the helicopter back. The copter swayed to the side, losing control for a minute before the pilots straightened it.

Emma was knocked onto the floor along with Mary Margaret, Ruby, and David. She staggered back into her seat just as she heard her rescue swimmer shouting in panic.

"No!" he cried as he leaned over the edge of the helicopter looking down into the waters.

Emma looked around the helicopter, accounting for everyone on board— the two pilots, Mary Margaret, Ruby, David, herself, Smeeson, her swimmer, and… _no_. The second swimmer wasn't on board.

The two crewmen leaned over the side of the helicopter, clearly waiting on baited breath for something to happen. Finally, after a minute passed, her swimmer started moving.

"I'm going down," he shouted.

"Killian, there's no time. We barely have enough fuel to get back," came the high-pitched, yet firm voice of the female pilot.

 _Killian._

"We're not leaving, Eric," Killian shouted back fiercely as he turned back to survey the waters below.

The male pilot spoke next, equally firm, but also worried. "Killian, don't be stupid. The storm is too bad now. We're low on fuel. We have to go."

Killian shook his head before sitting on the edge of the helicopter, dangly his feet off. "We're not leaving him. Give me ninety seconds and then go," he cried before, jumping into the water after his friend.

Emma pulled the blanket around her tighter and rushed towards the edge of the helicopter, poking her head out of the open door to watch the scene below. Every emotion imaginable was fighting for control inside her—panic, guilt, and awe over this selfless of her rescue swimmer. _Killian._

For some reason she started crying again, but Emma was too upset to even care because _Killian still hadn't resurfaced yet._ What if they'd both died, and it would be all her fault for not forcing David to check the weather.

The image of two bodies popping above the surface over the crashing waves broke her from her train of thought. Emma let out a breath of relief as she saw Killian hold tight to the other swimmer. Smeeson lowered the basket below, and Emma watched as Killian put the second swimmer, _Eric_ , inside before holding tightly himself.

They were hoisted into the helicopter within a minute. Immediately, the door was slammed shut and the helicopter sped away back towards the coast.

Killian laid Eric onto his back as he and Smeeson examined him.

"Is he alright?" Emma asked in panic as she edged forward to get a better view.

"Looks like he hit his head on some debris from your boat," Killian responded as he pointed to a gash across Eric's forehead. "He's lost consciousness, but I think he'll be alright."

As if on cue, Eric slowly opened his eyes and began coughing up water, fighting to catch his breath. He coughed a few more times, clearing his throat, before smiling weakly toward Killian. "That was stupid of you. Captain will have your head."

"Oh, I can deal with him. The real person I'm afraid of is Ariel. She may be eight months pregnant, but I'm still quite confident that she could, _and would,_ skin me alive if I returned without you," Killian quipped as he helped Eric sit up and tended to his friend.

Emma watched the scene before, absolutely moved and fascinated by the man who had saved her life.

* * *

The hanger of the Coast Guard station was dark and dim, but thank God it was warm and dry. Once the helicopter landed, the rescue team departed and a medical crew examined the group. Thankfully everyone was fine, just a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious. They were given some food and water and looked after while they gave an official report about the events that led up to the accident.

A couple hours passed before they were ready to depart. Mary Margaret and David were comforting each other as Victor, who had rushed over once Ruby called, went about reexamining Ruby for any injuries. _Typical doctor._

Emma stood by herself in the corner observing them and awaiting her cab, when the swimmer from before approached her.

"That was quite brave of you," Killian said as he leaned against the wall next to her and took a sip from a coffee cup in his hand. He looked absolutely exhausted, but still handsome with his bright blue eyes and messy brown hair on display. He was wearing a navy blue jumpsuit, and Emma had to fight not to melt at the sight of him. _No, stop it, Emma. He is not attractive_ , she scolded herself.

"What?" she asked in complete confusion.

"Insisting that I help your friend first even though you were clearly the weaker swimmer. I pegged you for the worst, but you were quite persuasive. Last time I listen to a drowning person," he mused as he inwardly scolded himself and took another sip of his coffee.

Emma's mouth fell open as she stared back at him. "Well, I wasn't being brave. I just wanted my friend to be alright," she insisted awkwardly. He was the one who saved her. _He was the brave one._

"Still, it was pretty heroic," he chimed as he quirked an eyebrow at her.

Emma shifted on her feet nervously before she replied back, just above a whisper. "You're the real hero. You saved my life, and you risked your own to save your friend."

Killian let out a small chuckle at her comment. "Trust me, if you'd met his wife, Ariel, you'd understand—I was still saving myself," he teased.

Emma pursed her lips and gave him an admonishing look. "No, you're trying to be humble, but you're not fooling me. You're a hero."

He was blushing now and reached up to nervously scratch behind his ear. "Well, we can't have his wife alone in a delivery room just a month from now, can we?" he asked quietly casting his gaze downward before he perked up and changed his tone entirely. "Anyway, if you want to properly thank this _hero_ , maybe you would have dinner with me sometime?"

Emma's eyes widened at his suggestion. Before she fired back, trying to stay confident, "Buying you dinner would surely do the trick."

"I never said anything about you buying. Letting you pay would be bad form," he insisted firmly.

Emma rolled her eyes and huffed in amusement at his comment. "Well, here's my number. Call me and we'll make plans," she said as she grabbed his coffee cup and wrote her full name and phone number along the side with the Coast Guard pen she'd snatched up as a souvenir.

"Swan," he whispered with intrigue after he glanced at the coffee cup and stared back into her eyes.

Emma flicked her tongue against her teeth before spinning on her heel and sauntering away towards her taxi, which had just arrived.

Once she'd reached the taxi door, Emma heard the ecstatic cries of a woman from behind her. She turned around to see a flash of red hair rush over and envelope Killian in a tight hug. _Ariel_ , Emma thought as her heart panged in her chest at the sight.

As soon as the cab began to pull away and head towards Boston, Emma's heart sank with the realization that she'd given Killian her cellphone number, _and her cellphone was now likely at the bottom of the ocean_.

"Change of plans," she shouted to the driver, "we have to stop by the store first before we go to my apartment. I _need_ a new phone."

* * *

 **Please leave a review, and let me know your thoughts on the first chapter. I hope you all enjoyed the start of what will be a fluffy and fun story!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you all for the kind words of encouragement and support! I'm so pleased that chapter one went over well. I hope you enjoy this next installment!**

* * *

The guy at the phone store almost threw a wrench in Emma's plan, _almost_. "Miss, this is a much simpler process if I just give you a new number."

"You _can't_ give me a new number," Emma groaned in annoyance as the two went back and forth. "I _need_ the same one."

She reached into her pocket, planning on flashing her badge and claiming this was a matter of police business, only to find the pocket empty, _and still slightly damp_. She winced as she realized that her badge too was now at the bottom of the ocean. _She was definitely going to kill David._

Finally, after some coercion, Emma was able to get a new phone with the same number and headed back to her apartment. Her heart nearly burst with happiness when she kicked open the screechy door and set eyes on her apartment, _her home_. The furniture she'd picked out with Mary Margaret, the paintings Kathryn had given her, and of course, her precious Cocker Spaniel, Lady, who had stolen her heart years ago at the pet shelter— she never thought she would see any of this again, and she was overcome with emotion.

Emma bent down to scoop Lady into her arms and was showered with kisses. She brushed her cheek against Lady's fuzzy ears as a few tears fell from her eyes. Emma Swan was not the crying type, but considering she'd spent her whole life building this—a home and a small family with Lady—she figured she would give herself a break this one time.

That night, Emma reveled in the softness and comfort of her bed. As she gently dozed off, petting Lady who lay at her side, Emma vowed that after her near-death experience, she would take time to appreciate the small niceties in her life.

 _She couldn't find them anywhere: Ruby, David, Mary Margaret, they were all gone. Emma struggled to keep her head above the freezing water as harsh waves slammed into her weak body. She turned in circles searching for her friends, searching for anyone, but she was alone. She opened her mouth to scream out for help, but only ended up swallowing ocean water, which burned her nose and throat. She couldn't stay afloat any longer and felt herself descending, slowly, into the depths. Just before her head finally slipped beneath the water, Emma saw the faint white searchlights and heard the buzzing noise of a helicopter in the distance. He'd come to rescue her. Emma's body continued to sink, and as she began to cry out for him, she was overtaken by a wave._

"Killian!" she shouted frantically as she shot up in bed. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and she struggled to even her labored breathing. Emma reached up to rub her tear streaked face and simply held her hands against her face and cried. She hugged a pillow to her side and lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, afraid of what else awaited her in her dreams.

* * *

The next day, while she was in her office filling out paperwork for a case, Emma's new cellphone buzzed, alerting her of a call. Her heart leapt when an unknown number flashed across the screen.

"Hello?" Emma asked nervously as she got up to close, _and lock_ , her office door. She did not want to be interrupted.

"I know it's customarily expected that a man waits _three_ days to call on a lady, but I figured I'd better get that date while my heroics were still fresh in your mind," came a sultry British accent on the other end.

Emma's heart leapt in her chest, which was completely stupid and school girlish of her, but she couldn't help melting when he spoke. "Hi, Killian," she answered coolly, or at least, as coolly as she possibly could.

"Swan, how are you holding up after yesterday, love?" he asked, switching back to that concerned and caring man who rescued her from the unforgiving sea.

Emma didn't want to go into the fact that she was still shaken up over the incident. Instead, she responded confidently, "I'll be much better after a nice dinner out."

Killian chuckled curtly in a way that made Emma feel as though he could see right through her defenses, but he didn't push the subject. The two exchanged work schedules and settled on a time for their date. They were both off Friday night, which meant Emma had four days to mentally prepare herself for another encounter with Killian Jones.

* * *

"Should I bring flowers?" Killian asked as he tugged at his jumpsuit and paced around anxiously.

"God no, that's corny and cliché," Eric replied as he leaned back in his chair.

Killian glared at Eric in annoyance before another voice chimed in from behind him.

"I agree with Eric, flowers are so overdone," Tina squeaked as she walked up to join the two.

Killian's eyes widened and he flashed a toothy grin. Tina, _of course_ , why hadn't he talked to her first? "Officer Green, how are you doing today?" he said in smooth voice.

Tina rolled her eyes in exasperation. "No need to butter me up, Killian. I'll give you advice for free."

Eric started laughing before he got up to leave. "Have a nice _date_ , Killian," he teased as he began to walk off.

"Eric," Killian called out in a low whisper, so only the three of them could hear. "Don't tell Captain, and don't tell Ariel."

Eric's face fell in disappointment. "Why can't I tell my own wife? She'd be so happy for you."

"Exactly, and she'll tell Elsa, so keep it quiet," Killian countered as he stared back at his friend in warning.

Eric nodded before leaving Killian and Tina alone.

"So, you're going on a date and you need advice," Tina murmured, a tight smile stretching across her face.

Killian and Tina had worked together for years and had become good friends. In many ways, Tina was the sister Killian never had. They both took great pleasure in torturing the other, but when times were serious, they had each other's backs. Killian gave her a curt nod before tipping his head forward, gesturing for her to continue.

"My only advice is this: no flowers and be sure to wear your uniform," Tina replied confidently. "Oh, and, when you come into work afterwards, you have to tell me _everything_ ," she chirped before skipping off to get back to work.

* * *

Emma decided to comb through her closet Thursday night to prepare for the date. Any outfit less than perfect wouldn't do; she had to dress to kill. That absurdly attractive rescue swimmer made her heart flutter and her stomach churn in the most ridiculous way. Not to mention, she just knew he would come fully prepared to sweep her off her feet. She had to look stunning to try and throw off his game.

After trying on everything she owned with minimal success, she finally broke down and called for help. Ruby would be the obvious choice, but she would end up telling Mary Margaret and David, so she couldn't be trusted. Instead, Emma decided to seek Kathryn's advice.

The sound of Lady's barking and scratching at the door alerted Emma of Kathryn's arrival. She bent down to give her sassy, _and very spoiled_ , Cocker Spaniel a kiss before opening the door and ushering her friend inside the apartment.

Kathryn held a black garment bag in her hands and gave her an excited smile. "This is exactly what you need," Kathryn said as she handed the bag over to Emma.

"You didn't!" Emma scolded as she took the bag eagerly and slowly unzipped it to peek at the dress inside.

Kathryn shrugged her shoulders and brushed off Emma's comment. "I own a clothing store, Emma. It's my job to give my friends cute dresses. Ruby was admiring it the other day, so I know she would approve."

The zipper finally reached the end of the bag revealing a stunning, crimson-colored, strapless dress. Emma ogled at the dress and thanked Kathryn before jumping happily and rushing off to her room to change.

Emma slipped into the dress, which fit like a glove. It hugged her in all the right places and accentuated the curves on her body. She strolled into the living room proudly and spun around for Kathryn to admire the dress.

"Gorgeous. I knew it would be perfect for you. That guy won't know what hit him, Emma," Kathryn exclaimed as she stood up from the couch and clapped her hands together in excitement.

Emma caught a glimpse of her reflection in the TV screen before her and smirked proudly. "Oh, I count on it."

* * *

The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Right when Emma finished curling her hair and applying a killer shade of red lipstick, she heard a curt knock on the door, signaling Killian's arrival. Finally, after days of waiting, the time had come for their date. Emma took a deep breath and wiped her sweaty palms on her dress before gliding across the apartment to open the door.

Emma slowly pulled the door open and saw Killian standing before her with a nervous grin on his face. Emma's mouth fell slightly ajar when she looked at his outfit.

 _He came in uniform_ , wearing a sky blue shirt with badges and ribbon across the chest and the top two buttons undone exposing a gorgeous tuft of chest hair. He wore it with a pair of well-fitted slacks, dress shoes, and a navy blue dress coat that he carried at his side.

Emma was staring at him, _absolutely entranced_ , for a minute before she caught herself. She blinked her eyes rapidly and shook her head before replying in a disbelieving tone, "You're in uniform? _Really?_ "

Killian gave her a cocky smirk. "Swan, I look damn good in this uniform," he countered before tacking on with a nervous scratch of his ear, "and, I get a discount when I wear it."

Emma shook her head in amusement. "Handsome and thrifty: what a catch."

"Now you," he began as he made a show of looking her up and down as he ran his tongue over his teeth, "you are a vision."

Emma shrugged her shoulders and tried to look away so he wouldn't catch her blush.

"Red is a good color on you, Swan," he teased before giving her a knowing wink.

Emma opened her mouth to scold him, but he interjected, "Well, we have a reservation. Let's not be late."

He extended his arm out for her to take, and if she wasn't blushing before she had surely just started. It only got worse when they arrived at his car and he insisted on holding the door open for her.

The restaurant was only ten minutes away from her apartment, so they made idle small talk during the short drive and teased each other over music choices.

" _80s power ballads, really?" she'd asked skeptically. Lame._

 _Killian gasped at her in mock offense. "Do we need to end this date now?"_

 _Emma laughed the rest of the way to the restaurant._

When they arrived, Killian again opened the door for her and escorted her inside. He'd chosen a cozy and quaint Italian bistro by the docks.

"You can't go wrong with Italian," he explained once they were seated and overlooking their menus.

As their date progressed, salad and main course passing by, Emma realized that Killian Jones was unlike any guy she had ever been with, and that scared her. Emma felt completely relaxed and at ease around him as he told her about his life. What truly frightened Emma was how much she shared with him. He told her about his childhood growing up in England and about his move to Boston after the death of his mother and disappearance of his father. Emma told him, briefly, about her childhood in the foster system and about meeting David and Kathryn in high school. She even shared tales of some of her college adventures with Mary Margaret and Ruby.

Killian told her about his family. He had an older brother, Liam, who was married with two kids.

"Olivia is eight and Noah is five. They run me ragged," Killian joked. Emma's heart squeezed in her chest when she saw the way Killian lit up when talking about his niece and nephew, and she nearly died of laughter at some of his babysitting blunders.

Apparently after an unfortunate bathtub-sailing adventure went terribly awry and resulted in a ruined bathroom floor, Killian was banned from bath time _permanently_.

Emma didn't have a family to talk about, so instead she told him stories of her friends and about Lady. _She probably talked way too much about Lady, but that simply couldn't be helped._

"You know, Swan," Killian began as they switched topics, "I don't know what you do for a living."

Emma nodded her head. Somehow she had overlooked such an obvious detail about herself. "I'm a detective with the Boston PD," she replied.

Killian's eyes widened, clearly fascinated. "That sounds bloody exciting," he chimed.

Emma scrunched her face in disagreement. "Are you kidding me? You jump out of helicopters for a living. My job pales in comparison."

Killian ignored her comment and rattled off questions for her instead. "Do you have a partner? Do you solve cases?"

Emma smiled, proud to have impressed such an impressive guy. "David's my partner actually, and yeah, I solve cases," she answered casually.

She captivated Killian with tales of some of her most thrilling and extraordinary cases, but the arrival of their waiter interrupted her stories.

He brought out the dessert they'd ordered, cheesecake, and the two dug in immediately.

"Can I ask you something I've been thinking about since you rescued me?" Emma asked him between savory bites.

"Briefs," Killian replied with a cheeky smile.

Emma suppressed the urge to grin and instead rolled her eyes. That had to have been his tenth innuendo of the night. " _Killian_."

"I'm going for a record tonight," he jested before adding sincerely, "I apologize. Please, ask anything."

"You're insufferable," Emma scolded before finally getting to her question. "When you rescued me, you knew I wasn't a good swimmer, even when I wasn't in the water yet. How?"

Killian's stared down at his half-eaten cheesecake, refusing to meet her gaze. "Oh, it's daft. You'll think I'm stupid."

"No, tell me," Emma insisted eagerly as she lowered her gaze, trying to catch his eyes.

Killian sat back in his chair and let out a long breath. "Well, I have this sixth sense of sorts. When I'm rescuing a group of people, I can always pick out the weak swimmers within seconds. Those are the ones I rescue first, hoping to give everyone a chance," he explained before quickly tacking on "it's probably not real, just luck."

Emma smiled at him before nodding her head in understanding. "No, I get that. I have this superpower where I can tell if someone's lying."

"Oh yeah?" Killian asked, raising his eyebrow in intrigue. "Let's see then."

Emma bit her lip as she thought over his challenge, then perked up, absolutely ready to obliterate the bastard. "You're not 'going for a record tonight.' You make obscene innuendoes when you're nervous, and you also scratch behind your ear."

Killian's mouth fell open in shock as he stared back at her in disbelief. " _Detective_ ," he spit defiantly.

" _Open book_ ," Emma jabbed back.

They chatted idly about their respective jobs as they finished their dessert. Killian was eager for her to finish recounting her interesting cases, and Emma wanted to hear some of his rescue stories.

The check came and she tried to pay, but apparently Killian had already given the waiter his card when she'd left to go to the restroom earlier.

"I told you, bad form, Swan," he explained as they argued on their way out of the restaurant.

Emma shivered instinctively when they went outside and the cold night breeze wisped against her exposed shoulders. Ever the gentleman, Killian immediately placed his jacket around her and escorted her back to the car. The jacket was warm and soft and smelled of the sea, _like him_. Emma blushed again at his kind gesture. _Her face was going to be permanently red after this date._

Killian played more 80s music during the car ride back to her apartment, _just to spite her_ , Emma thought. She had to admit, she liked this guy— _she liked him a lot_ , which was the problem. Memories of past men, lying, cheating, and _leaving_ flashed through her mind as they exited the car.

She shouldn't see him again. She couldn't trust herself to keep a level head with him, but she could still have fun tonight. _That uniform needed to be ripped off his body, and she was just the right woman for the job._

Killian escorted her into the building and thanked her for a lovely evening. The two stared at each other as they stood awkwardly outside Emma's apartment. "The night doesn't have to end just yet. Want to come in?" Emma asked as she unconsciously licked her bottom lip.

Killian shook his head no before murmuring his response. "I'd rather have a second date actually."

Emma narrowed her eyes in confusion at the odd reply. "Who's to say you can't have both?"

"If something happens tonight, you'll never talk to me again. You're the one night stand, keep them at arm's length type, but I quite fancy you, Emma Swan, so I think I'll take a rain check," Killian replied matter-of-factly.

Emma glared at him in annoyance as her mouth hung open in shock. _He shouldn't know any of that._ "How the hell?"

"You're something of an open book yourself," he chimed back confidently, throwing her own line in her face. "Goodnight, Swan," he said proudly as he leaned in a placed a gentle kiss against her cheek. He looked her over, meeting her eyes and holding the gaze for just a second too long before he smiled shyly and left.

Emma stood frozen outside her apartment for a minute until the sound of Lady scratching at the door broke her from her spell.

Emma went inside her apartment and sat against her door, absolutely frantic because her heart was beating at an inhuman rate. She was surely blushing from head to toe because he kissed her on the cheek and looked at her as if she was the Sun and _this guy was dangerous_. No. She wasn't getting burned again, especially by some attractive jerk who _knows_ exactly the effect he has on women. No, Killian Jones was a bad idea. _She was going to get over her silly crush by never seeing him again_ , she decided resolutely as she stood up and went to change into her pajamas.

As she headed into her bedroom, her phone buzzed on her nightstand. She reached for it only to find a text from Killian:

 _Oh no, Swan, looks like I've forgotten my jacket. We'll have to meet up again so I can retrieve it from you._

Emma paused as she brushed her hand over the jacket around her body and grimaced. She'd been so comfortable in it that she hadn't even noticed she was still wearing the damn thing. She glared down at the text because _he knew_. That bastard knew the minute he offered her his coat that she was going to run, and he beaten her at her own game. Another buzz broke Emma from her angry trance:

 _Open book._

* * *

 **As always, reviews are greatly appreciated! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: As always, many many thanks to you all for following, favoriting, and leaving such kind reviews! I appreciate it very much! I've extended my outline, so the story will likely be about twenty-four or twenty-five chapters long.**

* * *

Emma refused to text him back until Monday because she was absolutely furious at him, but mostly with herself for allowing him to best her. She would find a way to get back at him, but that required actually seeing the jerk again. Emma didn't trust herself around him in private, so she insisted on meeting him at the Coast Guard base in order to return the coat. Even though the base was an hour away in Cape Cod, she decided that the drive would be worth keeping the upper hand in the situation.

She was able to leave work early on Tuesday and made the drive to Cape Cod. Along the way, Emma realized that Killian must live close to the base, which meant he had been willing to drive an hour to Boston and back just for their date. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought, but she quickly pushed it from her mind and glared defiantly at the road before her. She was going there, giving him his jacket, and leaving immediately. She was already in way too deep with this guy; after all, she'd spent the entire weekend since their date thinking of him. She was not going to let herself get sucked into another date with Killian Jones.

Emma arrived at the base and was immediately granted entrance by the guards; apparently Killian had called ahead alerting them of her arrival. She felt herself becoming more and more nervous as she parked her car and walked inside the building.

"You must be Emma," a petite blonde chirped from inside.

Emma looked her over and felt the distinct sense that she'd seen the woman before, probably after the rescue, but there was only one face that she truly remembered from that night. "Yes, I am," Emma answered as she continued to try to place the familiar face.

"I'm Tina. I was piloting the helicopter when your boat wrecked," she explained as she stepped forward to shake Emma's hand.

"Oh—," Emma replied in slight surprise as she shook Tina's hand. "Oh, thank you," she responded sincerely.

Tina shrugged off her compliment as she responded, "Don't mention it."

Just as Emma was about to reply, Killian rushed up to the two of them. " _Tina_ ," he scolded under his breath, "you pinky swore."

"I'm going, I'm going" she responded in defense as she held her hands up in surrender and slowly backed away from the two. "It was lovely to see you again, Emma, and under much better circumstances this time," she called as she walked towards the back hangar bay.

"Likewise," Emma called after her, though she doubted the blonde had heard. She turned towards Killian who was wearing his jumpsuit again with a killer pair of aviators. His hair was disheveled in just the right way, and she simultaneously wanted to smack him and jump his bones.

"Well, here's your jacket. Goodbye," she said briskly as she practically shoved the article of clothing into his hands and turned to leave. She had to get out _now_.

Killian rushed forward and grabbed her gently by the crook of her elbow, spinning her around to face him. "Why must you be so bloody stubborn?"

Emma cast her gaze downward, refusing to meet his eyes, which were still clearly pleading and sincere even behind the tinted sunglasses. A small shrug was her only reply.

"Can't you just give me a chance?" he asked in a wounded tone.

Before she could reply, a booming voice interrupted them. "My baby brother isn't causing you any trouble, is he Miss?" called a stout man with short, curly brown hair and bright blue eyes just like Killian's. Emma recognized him as Liam immediately, recalling some of the stories Killian had told her before.

When neither of them responded, Liam continued with his questions. "Did you have a nice date?"

Killian eyes furrowed in disbelief as he swung around to address his brother. "How do you know about that?"

"How do you know about that, _Captain_ ," he corrected with a cheeky smirk. "Elsa told me," he continued matter-of-factly as he beamed at the two of them.

Killian's mouth fell slightly, which was absolutely comical to Emma. She was thoroughly enjoying this exchange. "How did she know, _Captain_?" Killian retorted, clearly upset.

Liam pursed his lips together in response before he went about admonishing his brother. "You _know_ Eric can't keep secrets from Ariel," he began before looking back at Emma with a bright smile. "Well, go on now, give the lady a tour," he insisted.

"She was just leaving," Killian answered as he gave Emma a look that practically begged her to go and end his embarrassment.

"I've got time," Emma squeaked as she smiled back at the two brothers. This was exactly the moment she'd hoped for— a chance to get back at Killian. She just loved to watch him squirm in embarrassment before his brother. She'd have her tour and then leave. There was no harm in it.

"Great!" Liam chimed as he clapped his hands together. He then leaned in to whisper to Killian, though he did a rather poor job of it considering Emma heard every word. "Take off your glasses and fix your hair. I taught you better than that," he scolded as he nudged Killian in the shoulder before taking his leave.

Emma burst into a fit of giggles not only at Liam's words, but at the look of utter defeat on Killian's face as he put his sunglasses in his pocket and flattened his hair with his hands.

"Sorry, my _older_ brother is— well, he's an older brother," he explained with a nervous shrug.

Emma noted the clear blush spreading across his cheeks and smiled in amusement. "I like him."

Killian pursed his lips together and shook his head in mock annoyance. "I'm glad you're enjoying this."

"Come on. I was promised a tour," she teased.

Killian spent over two hours showing her around the base, and Emma had to admit, she loved every minute. They started in the hangar where Killian showed her some of the helicopters and even let her peek into a cockpit. "Don't touch anything, Swan. I have no idea how to work this thing," he'd teased as they overlooked the control panel.

He was nervous at first, but Killian quickly got over his embarrassment when he noticed Emma enjoying herself. She asked him questions, inspected the places they visited, and showed genuine interest in the tour.

They walked through the hangar and passed a closed room. "This is the Captain's office, but I think we've had enough of him today," Killian said as he gestured to the closed door and ushered her along, slightly faster, so they'd avoid Liam.

Killian took her out to the base docks and showed her a few of the vessels as he told her some of their more adventurous rescues.

By the time Killian had escorted her back to the parking lot, Emma hadn't even noticed how much time had passed. She'd been far too enthralled in the tour, _and him_ , but mostly the tour, she assured herself.

"Can I see you again?" Killian asked as he scratched his ear and shuffled on his feet.

Emma bit her lip and decided to ignore his question for the moment. "How did you know to leave your jacket?"

Killian's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected question, and he took a moment to ponder before he finally answered. "When we were leaving the restaurant, you had that look in your eye, the look of someone who's about to run."

Emma frowned at his words, her heart knowing the answer before she even asked her next question. "And, how would you recognize that?"

Killian looked away from her and shook his head. He took an unconscious step back before he mumbled his reply. "That is a story for another time," he explained with a hurt tone before he continued, "If there is one, of course."

"Killian, I don't—" Emma began before he interjected.

"I get it, trust me, I get it. Why don't we do something as friends this weekend? I promise it will be completely platonic," he assured as he stared deeply into her eyes, begging for her to just give him a chance.

Emma swayed on her feet as she thought over his proposition. "What did you have in mind?"

"Meet me at the park by your apartment complex this Saturday at noon, and bring Lady," he replied confidently.

Emma was intrigued. She had no idea why he wanted to go to the park, but if she was there walking her dog, it couldn't do much harm.

"Alright, Jones. I'll be there. Leave your jacket at _home,_ " she instructed before hopping in her car. As she was exiting the parking lot, she peeked up at her rearview mirror and saw him still standing in the place she'd left him with a disbelieving grin on his face. _Idiot._

* * *

Emma woke up that Saturday with a rush of adrenaline. She was nervous and excited and hesitant and eager all at once at the idea of seeing Killian again. As she dressed for the date, no _friendly get-together_ , she opted for light make-up and cute, but comfortable, workout clothes with her hair in a high ponytail. She wanted to give the impression that she wasn't dressing to impress him— _while still impressing him._

To make matters worse, she brushed Lady _twice,_ making sure even her dog looked perfect, before grabbing a leash and heading to the park.

Emma walked Lady around the park for a few minutes before she spotted Killian approaching her from a distance. When he began to get closer, Emma noticed that he wasn't alone. Instead, he was corralling two energetic kids along.

When the four finally met, they all froze in place, waiting for someone to speak. "Hi," Killian began nervously as he smiled shyly at Emma.

"Good to see you again, Killian," she responded, and she truly meant it. "You must be Olivia and," she paused. Oh god, what was his nephew's name? Nathan? Nick? " _Noah!_ " she finished with a little too much excitement.

His niece was tall for her age and had curly brown hair like her father. Emma could tell she was a little spitfire by her confident stature. Killian's nephew, _Noah_ , seemed shy. He clutched onto Killian's leg as he stared back at Emma. He had blonde, nearly white, shaggy hair and blue eyes that matched Liam and Killian's.

"Uncle Killian told us that if we didn't embarrass him in front of you we would get ice cream," Olivia chimed as she stepped forward to greet Emma with her hands on her hips.

Killian's mouth fell open in a mixture of shock and embarrassment. Before he could even try to diffuse _that_ situation his nephew came to the rescue.

"Can I play with your dog?" Noah asked sweetly as he stepped forward to pet Lady.

Emma smiled down at him before she reached over to unlatch Lady's leash. "Of course!" she answered before walking to stand by Killian. The two watched as the kids ran off, giggling as they chased Lady around the park.

"Yes, go, run along," Killian called after them in slight irritation. "I didn't say that to them. Kids make up silly stories," he explained as he leaned over to whisper to Emma.

She rolled her eyes in response. " _Right_ ," she said skeptically and fought to suppress a giggle at the image of Killian driving two kids to Boston and lecturing them on what to say.

The two walked over to sit on a bench as they kept an eye on their rambunctious trio.

After a few minutes, Emma broke their silence. "So, I wasn't expecting to meet Olivia and Noah today."

"What's more platonic than sitting around at a park watching my niece and nephew chase your dog around? Obviously we're not going to get to any _enjoyable activities_ today," he countered with an absurd eyebrow raise as he ran his tongue along his bottom lip.

Emma chuckled and rolled her eyes as she nodded her head in agreement. "Fair enough. Are you babysitting today?"

"Aye, both Liam and Elsa are off work. I volunteered to watch the rascals, so they could have some time together," he explained.

Emma smiled at that. She truly admired and respected his devotion to his family. "That was nice of you."

Killian shrugged in response, clearly not thinking much of it. "They've done a great deal for me—" before he immediately stood up and looked over at the kids with concern. "Noah. Do _not_ put that in your mouth," he called out in a stern tone. Once his nephew had dropped whatever he'd gotten a hold of, Killian sat back down and turned to Emma shyly. "They keep me on my toes."

"I didn't know there was this side to you," Emma stated, mostly to herself as she stared out and watched Olivia and Noah play.

Killian's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Emma turned back to look at him and nodded towards the kids. "You're great with them," she explained, her eyes full of admiration.

Killian smiled shyly before looking down, feigning great interest in his hands to avoid her gaze. "Thanks. They're rotten little beasts, those two, but I love them more than anything."

Emma's heart fluttered and she laughed in response before her thoughts turned to her friends. "I'm probably going to have babysitting duty before I know it. Mary Margaret and David had been married for a year now, and I know they're both itching to have kids."

Killian suddenly perked up and turned to face her. "If you want some practice, you're welcome to join us at the museum later," he offered as he awaited her answer on baited breath.

"I'm not really dressed for that," Emma said with disappointment, as she looked down at her workout clothes, which were intended to prevent just this—further time together.

Killian flicked his tongue across his teeth and let out a confident sigh. "Well it's a good thing you live just two blocks away then."

Against her better judgment, Emma decided she would take Killian up on his offer and spend the day with him and the kids. She knew she was getting way too attached already, but she excused herself with the idea that this would be great practice for when Mary Margaret and David had children. Yes, that was her reason for joining the trio.

She brought Lady back to her apartment and quickly changed into a casual sundress and her favorite pair of wedges. When she returned to the park twenty minutes later, she found Olivia and Noah chasing Killian around. They finally caught up with him and tackled him to the ground, the group rolling around as their giggles echoes through the warm, spring air.

Emma smiled happily as she walked up to join them. Killian brushed the dirt and grass off both kids before he put Noah on his shoulders and grabbed Olivia's hand. Emma walked along with them and felt a sense of contentment and joy. Killian looked completely at ease and happy with his niece and nephew. Could a guy who was that devoted to kids really be all that bad?

 _Yes, don't trust him,_ she inwardly screamed as they walked along.

They rode the subway the short distance to the Museum of Science simply because the kids _loved_ the subway, Killian had explained. Emma couldn't help but admire how great Killian was with Olivia and Noah. He watched them like a hawk in the crowded subway terminal and clearly had a handle on his babysitting duties as he ushered them out of the station and to the museum entrance.

Killian insisted on paying for her ticket and didn't relent even after their five minute argument.

Olivia and Noah watched the two argue back and forth with slight amusement. Little Noah piped up as he jumped in place, eager to enter the museum, "Daddy says ladies shouldn't pay. It's bad form."

His sister rolled her eyes in exaggerated annoyance before responding. "Mommy says that's old-fashioned and out-of-date."

Despite Olivia's support, Emma lost another round, and Killian did end up buying that ticket. She was annoyed with him for a few minutes after that, but her angry exterior quickly melted as the four toured the various exhibits. Emma absolutely loved the way Killian engaged the kids in the different exhibits, asking them questions and reading plaques to them. She had fun with them too, instantly connecting with Olivia, who reminded Emma so much of herself at that age.

Emma's favorite exhibit had to be the Live Animal Care Center. Olivia, Noah, _and Killian_ went absolutely wild as they scurried from cage to cage to peek at all the animals. She wished she had her camera on hand because she would have gotten some incredible shots of them. Instead, she settled for a few on her phone.

Throughout their two hour visit at the museum, Olivia was her little shadow. Everywhere Emma went, Olivia followed. Emma had to admit, she absolutely loved it. She'd never interacted with kids that much before, but she already adored Killian's niece and nephew.

They got ice cream afterwards, despite the day's earlier embarrassment. This time, Killian let Emma pay for her own, probably more out of fear than anything else. Olivia told Emma all about her past year at school and her soccer team. Despite her uncle's objections, Olivia absolutely refused to call it 'football.'

They made their way back to the park afterwards where they finally said their goodbyes.

"Will you come watch one of my soccer games when the season starts?" Olivia asked as she stood by the car door and looked back at Emma.

Emma smiled at her little friend before nodding. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it."

The girl skipped happily in response as she hopped into the car and helped her brother inside.

When the kids were out of earshot, Killian stepped closer to Emma, invading her personal space as usual. He gave her a shy smile. "Thanks for today, Swan. You were brilliant with Olivia and Noah. I appreciate it."

Emma blushed as she quickly tried to avert her gaze. "They're fun. I'm glad you brought them," she replied as she forced herself to take a step back to leave. Her heart was screaming at her to just kiss the adorable, sexy, idiot already, but she just couldn't. Not yet.

"I'll see you around, Killian," she finished as she turned around and headed home to her apartment. She faintly heard him call out, _"Goodbye, Emma,"_ but she didn't allow herself to look back.

* * *

"Now, I bought you ice cream, and I'll get you both presents later if you promise not to tell your mum and dad that we spent the day with Emma. Alright?" Killian asked sternly as he put the car in park and turned around to face his niece and nephew in the back seat.

"Yes, Uncle Killian," they chimed in unison as they both unbuckled their seatbelts, threw open the car doors, and ran inside their home.

Killian followed after them once he'd grabbed Noah's car seat and their toys and was immediately greeted by Elsa when he entered the house.

"Olivia and Noah loved Emma. When do I get to meet her?"

"We've been back for two bloody minutes," he said incredulously. "You're not getting those presents now!" he scolded as he saw them rushing away upstairs.

Elsa was grinning from ear to ear as she responded. "You've never introduced a girlfriend to the kids before. You must really like her, and if she spent the day with your niece and nephew, she must really like you too."

Killian huffed as he brushed off her statement. "We're just friends," he began before his curiosity got the better of him, "but, do you really think she likes me?"

Elsa laughed as she walked away leaving Killian standing alone in the foyer. He looked up the staircase to see Liam staring back at him with his arms folded across his chest. "You used my children as bait to appeal to a woman," he stated grimly.

"Oi! That's not fair. I was—"

"I'm so proud of you," Liam chimed as he smiled from ear and ear and hopped down the stairs, slapping Killian hard on the back. "I like this one. You do what it takes, little brother. She's a keeper," he said sternly as he took the car seat and toys from Killian and walked off to join Elsa.

Killian let out a sigh as he took a seat on a stair step and rested his head in his hands. Liam was right, as always, but Killian just wasn't sure if Emma was going to give him another chance.

Killian pulled his phone out from his pocket to find that Emma had texted him over an hour ago, just after they'd said their goodbyes:

 _I had fun, Killian. Maybe we can get together again, just the two of us._

Killian lit up as he reread the text to make sure he wasn't imagining it. He raced up the stairs to tell Olivia and Noah they'd be getting those presents after all.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I had a blast writing it, especially the Jones Brothers scene. I adore their relationship, and it will definitely be explored more in future chapters. Chapter four though will feature some _fun_ scenes with Emma and Killian (still rated T). Please leave a review and let me know what you thought of the chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Infinite thanks to all of you for your kind words and overwhelming support! I truly think I have the sweetest, most dedicated readers, and I appreciate each and every one of you!**

* * *

Emma and Killian texted each other nonstop for days after their park adventure. She looked forward to his messages and could count on him to lift her spirits. He told the funniest stories and regaled her with some of the lamest knock-knock jokes she'd ever heard. He blamed his knowledge of those on the kids, but she didn't believe him.

They talked about their jobs, their friends, and just about everything else. On Wednesday, after David popped into her office with some good news, she found herself immediately texting Killian about it:

 _Looks like I'll be back out on the open waters soon. David's insurance is covering the boat. Will you be around to rescue me again if I need you?_

Emma was busy researching a mark when Killian finally texted her back two hours later:

 _Sorry for the delay, love. Someone ran up onto a sandbar and got stuck. You better learn to swim properly before you go out on a boat again. Dave doesn't have the best track record._

Emma smiled down as she read his message and responded:

 _I think I'm a little too old to attend swimming classes._

His response came immediately and was exactly what Emma would expect from him:

 _Perhaps we should have some private swimming lessons ;)._

Emma read the text and rolled her eyes because she could practically see his eyebrows waggling through the phone. Before she could scold him for using a stupid winky face, Emma was interrupted from her thoughts.

"Are you texting Killian?" came a familiar voice from her doorway.

Emma looked up from the phone to see Kathryn walking into her office, and she suddenly remembered they were going out to lunch today.

"No, I'm just—"

Kathryn had a teasing grin on her face as she stepped inside the office. "I was asking to be polite. You're blushing and grinning from ear to ear; you're obviously texting Killian."

Emma bit her lip in conflict before she quietly replied back. "Can I ask a favor? Do you think your father would mind if we used the pool at his gym after hours?" She hated asking favors of her friends, but Emma also didn't want to learn how to swim with dozens of people around either.

Kathryn raised her eyebrow in interest as she slowly nodded her head. "Technically I run the gym and my fiancé manages it, so I think that's my call, and the answer is yes. What are you two doing?"

"Swimming lessons," Emma answered back as she grabbed her purse and got up to join Kathryn. She was absolutely starving.

Kathryn smiled at her answer. "Well then my answer is doubly yes. After what happened, it's really time that you learned."

"Thanks Kathryn. You're the best," Emma declared and she wrapped her friend in a tight hug.

* * *

Tina entered the hangar and strolled over to Killian casually. "Captain wants to see you in his office," she said before walking off back to her precious helicopters.

Killian pursed his lips together as he tried to think over what Liam possibly wanted. They worked hard to keep a professional front at work, trying to keep their actual fraternizing to a minimum, but Killian couldn't possibly think of any work matters that needed discussion.

As he walked through the hangar toward the hall that led to Liam's office, he looked over at Eric, who quickly averted his gaze and sped off in the other direction. Killian internally groaned and tried to prepare himself for what he knew was awaiting him.

He didn't even bother to knock on the door, instead entering the tiny office and immediately taking a seat at the desk across from Liam.

Liam looked up from whatever report he had been reading and smiled at Killian with a knowing glint in his eye. "Do you have any plans for your day off tomorrow?"

Killian suppressed a grin and tried to look disinterested. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Elsa tells me you have another date with Emma."

Killian gritted his teeth in annoyance, and before he could even ask the question he already knew the answer to, Liam continued.

"Ariel told her. Really, you've got to stop confiding in Eric."

Killian shook his head in exasperation, "I know. I can't help it." The two were quiet for a moment as Liam stared Killian down. Finally, Killian broke. "Alright, alright, I'm seeing Emma again tomorrow. I don't know if it's a date. We're just having a swimming lesson."

Liam chuckled darkly in response as he beamed at Killian. "Swimming lesson? You've got it bad, Killian."

"Listen, I just don't want you to make a big deal out of this. I don't know what Emma and I even are right now."

Liam straightened some of the uniformly stacked paperwork on his desk and tapped his fingers against the wood as he thought over his response. Finally, he took a deep breath and began, "Listen, I'm your older brother. It's my job to torture you when I see you happy. And besides, I haven't seen you this happy since Milah."

Killian looked away and shrugged his shoulders. This was not a conversation he wanted to have right now _or ever_.

"I just missed seeing you like this, Killian. You deserve happiness, little brother. Enjoy it, and let me enjoy it too," Liam pleaded quietly as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, awaiting Killian's response.

Killian nodded in understanding, but refused to meet Liam's gaze. Instead, he stared up at the Coast Guard recruitment poster on his wall. Liam was right, as usual. Killian just didn't want to get his hopes up on this. Emma was a skittish lass, and he wasn't getting his heart broken again.

Liam stood up from behind his desk and walked over to Killian, waving his hand, gesturing for Killian to rise forward for a hug.

Killian rolled his eyes in disbelief as crossed his arms over his chest in defiance.

"Come on Chief Petty Officer, get over here. We're having a moment whether you like it or not."

Killian chuckled at that before he stood up to give his brother a hug. Liam squeezed him tightly before pulling away and ruffling Killian's hair. "Now run along, little brother, and get back to work."

Killian groaned in exasperation as he flattened his hair and glared at Liam. "When will you stop calling me that?"

"Never."

* * *

Emma set their date for late Friday night, 8:30pm, when she knew the gym would be closed and the employees would have headed home.

Killian met her at her apartment promptly, showing up in swim trunks and a white Coast Guard shirt. Emma stared at his toned legs for far longer than she should have, but thankfully he didn't make a comment.

She was wearing her own pair of loose fitting shorts and an old tee shirt over her bikini. She'd chosen her tiny, string bikini over the more conservative one-piece she owned because she knew it would make Killian squirm.

As she exited the apartment, she grabbed her own jacket off the coatrack, sure to avoid a repeat of their last official date.

"You look lovely tonight, Swan," Killian rang as he held his arm out for her take.

Emma blushed as she rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that. I'm not wearing anything special."

Killian shrugged his shoulders in response. "Well, you _always_ look lovely."

As they walked down the stairs and toward her car, Emma smirked to herself. That poor bastard wouldn't know what hit him once they got to the pool and she revealed her string bikini beneath.

The gym was a short drive from her apartment, so they joked and teased during the car ride there. Mostly, they argued over what to listen to on the radio. Killian won and insisted on turning the volume up ridiculously high just to rub it in.

They arrived at the gym soon after and parked in the nearly empty park lot. Killian followed after Emma as she led them up to the door and fished the key Kathryn had given her out of her pocket.

"Are we allowed to be here after hours? This doesn't seem like a 24 hour gym," Killian asked as he peeked into the glass windows and saw the place empty, all the lights out.

Emma turned the key and pushed the door open, ushering Killian inside. "It's not. Kathryn's father owns this gym, along with quite a few businesses in town, so she let me use it for our lessons," she explained matter-of-factly.

Killian raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed as he walked around the dark gym, inspecting some of the equipment. He walked over to the reception desk and paused. Pointing toward the wall, he looked back to question Emma. "Why has this same fellow been employee of the month all year?"

Emma walked over to take a look at the wall and burst out laughing. Sure enough, the same man had been employee of the month since January. Between giggles Emma tried to catch her breath and explain. "That's Kathryn's fiancé, Jim. He's a personal trainer here."

 _She was calling Kathryn right after their date to make fun of her._

Killian chuckled at that before he turned to face Emma, his eyes somewhat darkened with desire. "Alright, where's that pool. I've got to see you in a swimsuit," Killian said huskily as he reached out to gently raise the bottom of her shirt, brushing his hand along the small part of skin now exposed as he stared into her eyes.

Emma's breath caught in her throat as her skin erupted in goose bumps at his touch. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself before she cleared her throat and responded. "Um, it's—it's over here. Follow me," she said somewhat dazed as she whisked past him and headed for the pool in the back.

The pool had been left uncovered, just as Kathryn promised. Emma searched around for a light switch as Killian pulled off his shirt. She paused briefly, as she stared at his toned body, wanting nothing more than to just take him right there on the spot, but she wasn't doing that. _Breathe, Emma, breathe,_ she told herself.

Killian walked over to her, "What are you doing, lass?"

"I'm looking for the light switch," Emma explained, trying not to look at his abs, or muscled arms, or that gorgeous dusting of chest hair.

Killian looked around the gym for a moment before he turned back to her. "Forget it. All these windows allow enough moonlight in. We really don't need the lights. It's more fun this way," he teased with the flick of his tongue on his teeth as he grabbed her by the hand and led her to the pool.

Emma was secretly glad for the dimly lit room. She could still see well enough, but it also allowed her to hopefully hide the blush that was now surely spread across her face.

Killian jumped into the deep end of the pool and quickly rose to the surface. He turned around to face her as he easily moved through the water. "Care to join me, Swan?"

Emma raised her eyebrow in challenge. Alright, now was her chance to get back at that smug jerk. He thinks he's so suave with his husky voice and playing with her shirt and insisting she keep the lights off. Now he was going to get it.

Emma took her jacket off and kicked her shoes aside as she stared deeply into his eyes, never breaking eye contact. She pressed her thumbs under the waistband of her shorts and slipped them down her body slowly. She smirked wickedly when she saw his mouth fall open at the sight of her bare legs. Emma stepped out of the shorts and swayed over the edge of the pool, towering over Killian and grinning down at him triumphantly.

She pulled her shirt off at a tantalizing pace, _just as she'd practice earlier,_ not that she would _ever_ admit that. When Emma had the garment over her head she tossed it off to the side and shook her head softly to fix wayward curls.

Emma placed her hands on her hips and puffed her chest out proudly. Her revealing top left little to the imagination, and she just loved the way it was clearly torturing Killian. He was blinking furiously, and for a minute, Emma could have sworn she saw him fumble and slip down into the water, but he quickly recovered.

He took a deep breath and clenched his jaw as he stared back at her. "Alright, hop in," he said as he nodded up at her, forcing himself to focus.

Emma walked over to the shallow end and slowly started walking down the steps. She paused when the water hit her knees and shivered. She should have asked Kathryn to leave the heater on.

Killian swam over to her quickly, causing Emma to stare in amazement. He moved in the water with such ease; it was like he was born to swim.

Killian stood up before her, the water at his waist as he reached forward to grab her hand. "Come on, Swan. I'll get you warmed up," he promised with a seductive eyebrow raise.

Emma let him drag her into the water and immediately jumped from the ice cold sting against her skin. "This is way too cold!" she yelped.

Killian rolled his eyes as he continued to take her out into the deep end. "Move around. You'll warm up. I promise."

Once they were in the deep end, Killian released her hand and swam back a few feet, so he could observe her swim.

Emma kicked her feet furiously as she dogpaddled in place, trying her best not to look like a complete idiot in the water, even though she felt like one.

"Ok, I can work with this," Killian nodded as he fought to suppress a laugh.

"This isn't funny, Killian. No one ever taught me, okay," Emma bit back in defense. She stared back at him and was instantly distracted by how bright and blue his eyes looked with the moonlight illuminating them. She remembered them looking the same way the night he rescued her, but she just hadn't taken the chance to appreciate them. _Of course, she had other matters on her mind that night, namely survival._

She felt herself start to slip lower and quickly went back to trying to concentrate on staying above the surface.

Killian glided over effortlessly and held her up by her waist as he easily balanced above the surface. A chill ran through her body at the feel of his smooth hands holding her hips tightly. "This would be much less of a challenge had you not dressed so distractingly," Killian observed as he looked down at the generous cleavage she had on display.

"It's just a bathing suit," she argued.

"It's a _string_ , and you won this round, Swan, but I'll win the game," he declared with a sly wink.

Emma held onto his shoulders tightly as she gave up trying to balance. "Alright, teacher, _teach_. How do I swim?"

"First, let's learn to tread water," Killian insisted as he let go of her waist and began to pull away.

Emma clutched down harder on his shoulders, refusing to release her grip.

"I know, I know, I'm a tough man to let go of, but the whole purpose of this is for you to swim _alone_ ," Killian teased.

Emma shook her head in annoyance. "I can't swim, Killian," she gritted. "I'm going to sink."

Killian nodded in understanding as he softened his gaze. "I promise I won't let anything happen. I'm right here," he assured as he brushed his hands up and down her arms reassuringly, slowly prying them from his shoulder.

"Move your legs in a scissor motion and make circles with your arms above the surface," he instructed as he let her go, but stayed right by her side.

Emma felt herself sink down, but began kicking her legs as he instructed. She moved her arms in circles and felt herself begin to balance shakily above the water.

Killian smiled proudly at her. "Brilliant. You're a quick study. Keep doing that for a couple minutes until it feels more natural."

Emma nodded curtly as she tried to focus on the task at hand. She looked over and saw him staring at her. "This would be easier if you weren't gawking at me," she scolded.

" _String_ ," he bit back.

Emma smirked in response and went on treading water. After a few minutes, she'd become bored and exhausted by the exercise. "Can we stop this now?" she whined.

"I'm the teacher. I'm in charge," Killian responded back with a cocky nod.

Emma moved her hands in front of her and splashed him with water in defiance. In doing so though, she stopped kicking her feet and ended up nearly slipping beneath the surface. _Nearly._

Killian shook the water from his face and whisked forward to grab her by the waist and hold her above the water.

"You know, Emma. You really don't want to piss off the guy who's keeping you afloat," he warned.

She wiggled out of his hold and dogpaddled to the side of the pool, holding onto the wall to catch her breath.

Killian swam after her, placing his hands on her hips and leaning in closely, _so closely_ , to her.

"You're a lot bolder, more confident, in the water," Emma observed, barely above a whisper.

Killian quirked an eyebrow at her and grinned. "That's because we're in my territory now."

Emma didn't respond immediately, which garnered a worried look from Killian. "Am I upsetting you?" he asked, suddenly doubting himself.

She smiled shyly at that, appreciating the sincerity in his voice. "No."

"Good," he replied as he stared down longingly at her lips and swallowed.

Emma leaned in closer to him, her lips barely an inch away from his own. "Thanks for this, Killian."

"I can't have anything happening to you," he answered as his hold on her hips tightened unintentionally.

With that, Emma slowly edged forward, finally unable to suppress her desire, _need_ for Killian Jones. His lips were soft and tasted of chlorine.

He ran his tongue along her bottom lip and nudged forward gently, asking permission to enter.

She ran her hands along his shoulder and up to his hair, pulling him tighter against her mouth as she opened slightly, their tongues clashing fiercely.

Emma swung her legs around his waist and wrapped them around tightly, pulling him firmly against her. They both groaned sharply in pleasure at the friction. The thin materials of their bathing suits did little to mask their true desires.

Killian pulled away from her mouth and kissed down her cheek, chin, and settled at her neck, gently sucking and nipping at the sensitive flesh.

Emma sighed as she leaned back against the pool wall, allowing him better access, as she felt completely free and wonderful in his grasp. She felt her head swimming in pleasure and want before she finally shot her eyes opened and realized exactly what was happening.

She placed her hands against his taut, smooth shoulders and steadied her breath, forcing down her desire. She cared about him, and was falling for him, and this was all too fast.

"Killian, Killian," she said breathlessly as she gently pushed against his shoulders.

He only nuzzled into her neck further and gently rocked his hips forward in hers.

Emma closed her eyes and groaned because she wanted him _so badly_ , but she just couldn't go there with him. _Not now._

"Killian, please, stop," she begged, he eyes shut tightly.

Killian stilled immediately before pushing himself back and loosening his grip on her hips, but still keeping her balanced above the surface.

He bit his lip in frustration before looking at her, upset when he saw her distressed. "Emma, I'm so sorry. I got carried away. I shouldn't have—"

Emma opened her eyes at that and placed a finger against his lips, silencing him. "Don't apologize. I want this too. We just can't right now," she said quietly as she looked at him sadly.

He smiled back and ran his hand along her cheek gently. He leaned his forehead against hers before responding. "That's fine. We don't have to do anything you don't want. I'm sorry."

They stared back at each other nervously, cautiously, for a minute, each waiting for the other to make the next move.

"Listen, it's still early. I'm up for some more lessons if you are," Emma said as she bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders.

Killian let out a small sigh of relief before he nodded his head. "Aye, yes, that sounds great. Let's work on your kick," he instructed as he led her to the shallow end of the pool.

He made her hold onto the pool wall and kick for a solid five minutes. Emma's calves were killing her by the time she finally told Killian he was more of a torturer than a teacher. The only consolation she got out of the exercise was the fact that he'd held his hand against her stomach to keep her balanced above the surface.

"Alright, my legs are on fire. I think we should call it a night," Emma said as she panted and wiped away a bead of sweat from her forehead.

Killian shook his head in amusement as he smirked back at her. "Was I too much for you, Swan?" he asked as he rolled his tongue along his bottom lip.

"You're ridiculous," Emma scolded as she jumped on him and attempted to dunk him beneath the surface.

Killian simply grabbed her and held her above his shoulders, completely unfazed by her feeble attempt, as he waded through the shallow end and walked up the pool steps. He plopped her down softly on the cement surface of the gym and shook his head, feigning disapproval.

They were silent as they dried themselves with their towels. Killian threw his shirt back on before looking over to Emma as she picked hers up off the ground. "Can't you leave it off, Emma, please?" he begged with a devilish grin on his face.

Emma rolled her eyes and looked away, hoping he wouldn't catch the reddening of her cheeks. "Do you ever give it a rest?"

"You love it," he shot back cockily.

 _She did._

The subsequent drive back to her complex and walk to her apartment was fairly uneventful. They mostly made small talk, and as usual, teased each other relentlessly.

"Thank you so much, Killian. This was really helpful," Emma said as the two stood together outside her apartment door.

"Listen, Emma, I—" he began nervously before shuffling on his feet and pausing as he searched for the right words. "I hope I didn't mess this up," he said as he gestured between the two of them. "I shouldn't have let things go that far earlier. I don't want to scare you off. I don't have any expectations of something _physical_ happening if you don't want it."

Emma smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. She'd never been with a man who was so patient and genuine with her. She stepped forward and stood up on her tiptoes to place a delicate peck against his lips. "Tonight was perfect. I can't wait for our next lesson," she said reassuringly as she stared deeply into his blue eyes.

"I'll call you soon," Killian replied as he ran a hand through his hair and took a step back.

"Don't wait too long," Emma demanded as she pushed her apartment door open and went inside.

As soon as she'd shut the door on him, Emma looked through her peephole to see a smaller, slightly contorted image of him still standing outside in the hall. Despite the somewhat altered view, she could still make out the clear blush on his cheeks as he nodded confidently to himself. She let out a small giggle at the sight, before Killian suddenly turned back to face the door and pursed to lips together in disapproval. He shook his head in mock annoyance as he placed his hand over the eyehole.

Emma burst out into laughter as she walked off into the kitchen. She hadn't been this happy in a long, _long_ time.

* * *

 **As always, reviews are much appreciated! I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter! I'm having a blast writing this story, and the experience is even better thanks to your incredible support!**

* * *

Emma set the last plate on the table and looked over the three place settings before walking into the living room to call on her friends. "Dinner's ready, guys," she chimed.

Mary Margaret looked over from her place at the mantle and held up the picture frame she'd been admiring. "This is still my favorite picture ever, Emma," she said as she held up a picture from her wedding to David.

Emma grinned proudly and leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. As Mary Margaret walked into the kitchen, Emma's focus shifted to David, who was still sitting on the couch in a defensive position. He had his feet curled up to his side and was looking back frantically at Emma.

"Emma, can you please put your dog in the other room?" he asked with a huff of annoyance as he nodded down to Lady who was yapping and growling at him.

Emma laughed as she walked forward and whisked her pup off the ground and into her arms. "I still can't believe she hasn't warmed up to you yet. Maybe we'll have you feed her some treats after dinner. Bribery can't hurt," Emma jested as she walked Lady into her bedroom and shut her inside.

"Actually, it can hurt very much. You seem to have forgotten that she nearly bit off my finger last time," he scolded as he and Emma walked into the kitchen to join Mary Margaret.

The three chatted idly as they ate the chicken and rice dinner that Emma had prepared. They talked about the new boat David would soon get to replace the last one. Emma grimaced at that thought. Mary Margaret and Emma also teased David about Lady when they heard her muffled bark from the bedroom.

"It's not my fault. She doesn't like Victor or Jim either," David pointed out in defense.

Emma shook her head in disagreement. "I don't think Lady has a problem with either of them, David."

"Actually," Mary Margaret began, "I don't think she's interacted with them that much. Do they ever really come over? When the whole gang gets together, it's usually at our place."

"That's not my fault," Emma insisted. "My apartment is too small for group gatherings."

David frowned, eager to change the subject. "Anyway, Emma, we're going out this weekend for drinks. Want to join us?" David asked between bites of chicken.

Mary Margaret not so subtly glared at him. " _David_."

"Sure," Emma began cautiously. Why was Mary Margaret acting strangely about drinks?

David looked over at her and shrugged before turning his attention to Emma. "Graham is going as well. You remember him, right?"

 _That_ was why. This was a set up. She groaned internally, but chose to respond as casually as possible. "Um, Humbert? Yeah, he's from the fifth precinct. I know Graham."

Mary Margaret reached across the table to place her hand on Emma's arm. "Emma you don't have to come. I know you've been seeing that Coast Guard guy. Who, by the way, we don't know anything about," she scolded.

"That 'Coast Guard guy' is named Killian, and he kind of saved your life," Emma fired back in annoyance before she quickly continued. "Anyway, we're not really seeing each other. We've just been—"

Emma didn't actually know how to finish that thought, so she was grateful for David's interruption. "Great! You can come then! I think you and Graham will get along really well, Emma," he insisted with a bright smile.

Mary Margaret pursed her lips and glared at David. "You've got to work on being less obvious."

Emma forced a small smile as she went back to her dinner. David was her oldest friend and like a brother to her. She knew he had her best interests at heart, and she knew Graham Humbert was a nice guy, but still, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her gut.

* * *

Emma was kicking herself the entire evening. She _should_ be having an amazing time. She was dressed to the nines, enjoying her friends, and was out with a great guy. Graham was sweet, endearing, and very attractive. They both worked for the Boston PD, so they had quite a bit in common. On paper, he was perfect for her, but no matter how hard she tried, Emma just couldn't get swimming lessons and babysitting horror stories out of her head.

"We're going to dance," Mary Margaret said with a wink as she slid off her barstool and pranced along with David to the dance floor, clearly giving Emma and Graham some time alone.

Emma took a large gulp of her beer and rolled her eyes. Those two had been incredibly transparent about pushing her and Graham together all night. She'd have to give them a lesson on _subtlety_ later.

Graham cleared his throat and turned towards Emma. "You didn't want to join them, did you?" he asked as he tugged at his collar.

"God no. I hate dancing," Emma explained as she plopped her beer down on the counter and turned toward Graham.

Graham chuckled in response. "That's a relief because I can't dance at all."

They talked with ease for over twenty minutes while Mary Margaret and David were on the dance floor. They mostly chatted about work, but they eventually broke into other topics as well. Graham told her about his hometown in Ireland and his love of nature. Emma told him about Lady, of course, and shared some humorous stories involving her younger days with David that she knew Graham would enjoy.

Once their conversation hit a lull, Graham politely excused himself to the restroom, leaving Emma alone at the bar. David pounced on the opportunity and rushed over to speak to Emma. "So, what do you think of Graham?" he said as he strolled up to her side, nearly startling her to death.

Emma jumped at the sound of his voice and took a minute to catch her breath. He must have been watching the two like a hawk, just waiting for this opportunity to speak with her alone. "He's fine," Emma said with a casual shrug.

"Fine?" David asked incredulously. "Emma, trust me, he's a really great guy. Kind, responsible, mature—he's worlds above the losers who have broken your heart in the past," David insisted as he took a sip of his drink and leaned against the bar.

Emma grimaced at that. _"Gee, thanks,"_ she scolded as she turned to glare at him.

He held his hands up in surrender and nodded in understanding. "Listen, I'm just looking out for you. This guy would be perfect."

Emma grabbed his hand and squeezed it affectionately in response. "I appreciate that, David. I really do."

David gave her a small smile before he turned to head back to the dance floor. He didn't get far before he suddenly stopped and spun back around to face Emma. "You know, if this has to do with Killian, that's okay. I just want you to be happy."

Emma sighed before smiling gratefully at him. Of course he figured her out. He was her oldest friend, and he knew her better than anyone. "Thank you, David."

Just as David was joining Mary Margaret on the dance floor, Graham returned to the restroom. Emma felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders after her conversation with David. She went back to talking with Graham and found that they had more than work in common. They both loved dogs and tennis. Eventually, they were rejoined by an exhausted Mary Margaret and David.

"We really need to teach you two to dance," Mary Margaret noted from her place beside Emma at the bar.

Emma downed her bottle and turned to face her friend. "You know I can dance. I just choose not to," she scolded lightly with a chuckle.

The four spent a couple more hours together drinking, teasing, and having fun. Emma felt much more comfortable now that Mary Margaret and David had rejoined them.

Eventually, the foursome headed out of the bar to part for the evening. David held a cab door open, trying to usher Mary Margaret inside.

"One minute, David," she scolded as she wrapped Emma in a tight hug. "Call me tomorrow, okay? I want to know what you think of Graham," she whispered into Emma's ear before releasing her from the hug and hopping into the cab.

"I will," Emma promised as she waved goodbye to her friends.

Another cab pulled forward in the line, and Emma took a cautious step to leave.

"Emma, I had a great time with you. Maybe I'll get to see you again?" Graham asked as he swayed beside her with his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I would love to be friends. Thanks, Graham," Emma said as nicely, but still somewhat awkwardly, as she could. She gave him a quick hug before hopping into the back of the cab and shutting the door. She gave the driver her address and slumped back in her seat. ' _I would love to be friends'_ was playing on repeat in her head and she decided that maybe she shouldn't be the one to talk with Mary Margaret and David about subtlety.

She felt horrible and guilty because he was a nice guy and she _should_ like him. Honestly, David was right, Graham did have potential. If she'd met him just a few weeks ago, before the boating accident, she was sure tonight would have gone differently.

Emma got back to her apartment just after midnight and immediately changed into her pajamas. She curled up on the couch with Lady and flipped through the channels on her TV, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get rid of the strange feeling from her outing.

Finally, after warring with herself over the time and whether or not it was rude to call, she pulled out her phone, deciding that she just needed to talk to _him_ and she'd feel much better.

"Hello?" came a tired, husky voice on the other line.

Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she responded. "I'm so sorry if I woke you up. It's just that— Can I see you, tonight? I know it's late but—"

"Of course. I'll hop in the car right now," he insisted.

"Thanks, _Killian_."

* * *

"Is something wrong?" Killian asked as he stood outside her door with a worried expression across his face.

"No, no, I'm fine, it's just," Emma paused trying to collect her thoughts. She let out a sigh and changed the subject. "Why don't you come in first," she said as she stepped back and ushered him inside the apartment.

Killian smiled brightly as he stood in the entryway and looked around the place. Lady rushed up to greet him immediately, and to Emma's complete surprise, she let him pick her up. "Hello, Lady. It's been a while," he said cheerily as he scratched her ears and let her lick his face.

"She really likes you," Emma said in total shock as she hung out in the doorway, frozen in place as she watched them.

Killian placed Lady down gently on the wooden floor before he turned back to look at Emma with his eyebrows knitted. "Why shouldn't she?"

"Honestly, for some reason, she's skittish around men. She takes a while to warm up to them. She hated my last—"Emma paused and grimaced, not wanting to think about him, let alone explain that relationship, " _person,_ and she still hasn't warmed up to David."

Killian huffed in surprise before he stared back at Emma. She closed the door and padded over to him, placing her hands behind her back and shrugging slightly as she continued. "Thank you for coming over. I know it's an hour drive for you, and I really appreciate it."

"Any time," he began as he waved his hand, dismissing her comment, "but, I am curious, why did you call at this hour? Did something happen?" he asked, concern etched across his face.

"Sort of?" Emma started as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. She felt so guilty and wrong and she hated all of this. "I think I went on a date?" she whispered.

Emma cringed when she saw the hurt in Killian's eyes, but he quickly shook his head and forced a tight grin as he nodded back at her. "Ah, I see. I hope he's not here," Killian joked lightly as he scratched behind his ear and pretended to look around the apartment.

"He's not. Long story short, Mary Margaret and David had me go on a double date with them and this guy from work, and it wasn't—" she paused as she thought over her night with Graham, but she didn't want to go into that with Killian. "Well, I called you," she explained.

"What was wrong with him?" Killian asked as he stared into her emerald eyes.

 _He wasn't you,_ echoed through her mind, but she wouldn't dare say those words , Killian seemed to understand despite her silence.

Killian nodded as he took a deep breath of relief and addressed her again, "Well, I'm hungry."

Emma quirked her eyebrows. That wasn't the response she'd been expecting, but she was grateful for it all the same. "Um, do you like Chinese food?"

He smiled at that. "Who doesn't?"

"Great, I'll order us some then." Emma went into the kitchen to peer through her takeout menu. Once she'd placed an order, she came back to the living room to find Killian examining the place.

"What are you doing?" Emma demanded as she saw him closing the drawer of her TV stand and walking over to her mantle.

"Getting to know you," he responded without looking back at her. "You have a solid movie collection here, Swan, and these pictures," he began as he pointed the mass of photos she had on the walls and various tables, "these are stunning. Where did you buy these prints?"

Emma was silent for a minute as she stared at him in disbelief. Part of her wanted to kick him out and hide in her bedroom. At the same time, she trusted him, and was eager to share part of herself with him. "I didn't. I took them," she mumbled as she walked over to stand by him.

Killian raised his eyebrow in question. "All of them?"

"Yes." Emma reached over and grabbed the picture she was most proud of from the mantle. "I took some of the pictures for David and Mary Margaret's wedding. This is my favorite," she explained as she handed him the frame and bit her lip anxiously, studying his face for a reaction.

He lit up as he scanned the image of Mary Margaret and David kissing on a dock with the setting sun in the background. "This is bloody brilliant. You really took this?"

She just shrugged in response.

"You have a gift," he insisted as he carefully placed the picture back down, as if it was a precious commodity.

Killian went about exploring the place as Emma followed behind him awkwardly. "You're pretty forward," she scolded gently.

Killian froze in place and turned around to face her. "You woke me up, and then I drove an hour to be here. Can't I at least learn a little about you, Swan?" he asked quietly.

She stared back at him and tried not to give in, but the way he was gazing at her with complete honesty and sincerity was overwhelming. "I suppose so," she responded as she fought to suppress a smile.

"Great," Killian said jokingly as he popped open the door to her closet.

"You're so nosey," she accused with a laugh. Really, he was _ridiculous_ , but she'd never been with a man who was so genuinely interested in her. She couldn't help but feel special as he made a big deal over every little detail about her life that he gleaned from her apartment.

"A tennis racket," he observed, examining a racket he'd just plucked from the closet. "You play tennis?" he asked as he turned around to face her.

"Yes," Emma said with her arms folded over her chest.

Killian nodded as he turned the handle around in his hand and waved the racket around. "I've always wanted to learn. Maybe you can teach me in exchange for our swimming lessons?"

Emma's face lit up at his suggestion. She loved the idea of being better than him at something, not to mention, she could get back at him for those tough swimming lessons. "Deal."

Killian smiled back before poking his head back into her closet. He returned a few seconds later with a questioning look across his face as he held up a garment in his hand. "What the devil is this?"

Emma's face went beet red as she looked away and groaned. "That is Lady's," she said quietly.

"You have a sweater for your dog?" Killian asked, his voice oozing with judgment.

Emma's mouth fell open slightly in offense. "Boston winters are harsh. My baby needs protection from the elements."

"Baby?" Killian asked with a laugh. He put the sweater back and closed the closet door before staring at Emma, grinning from ear to ear. "You're a good mother, Swan."

"Are you done searching my apartment?" Emma asked as she folded her arms across her chest.

Killian nodded curtly. "Yes. Thank you for indulging me."

Just then, the buzzer rang, signaling the arrival of their Chinese takeout.

* * *

Killian did not think his night would end up this way. A few hours ago, he'd been lying in bed, tossing and turning, unable to get to sleep. Now, he was here, sitting on Emma's couch with her leaning against his shoulder and her dog resting in his lap. The coffee table was littered with empty Chinese carryout containers, and Netflix was playing in the background.

They'd argued for fifteen minutes over what to watch before he'd finally given in and agreed on _Breakfast at Tiffany's_. He'd gotten out of bed and driven an hour to end up watching the ultimate chick-flick, and he was honestly overcome with happiness.

Killian reached down to scratch Lady's ears and focused on the movie when he realized that Emma had been silent for the past few minutes. He carefully turned his head, eager not to disturb her, when he caught sight of her sleeping form resting against his shoulder.

He smiled softly at how calm and peaceful she looked. He reached his arm up and placed it around her body, pulling her into his chest as he turned off the TV and leaned his head against the couch to get some sleep himself. Yes, he was incredibly happy she'd called.

Killian was awoken in the middle of the night by movement in his arms. He opened his eyes and rubbed his tired face. The faint light from the kitchen seeped into the living room, allowing him to see his surroundings. Lady had scooted off his lap and into the seat adjacent to him on the couch. Emma was still lying against his chest, but her peaceful features had changed into contorted, pained ones. Her breathing was ragged, and she was shaking softly. Killian leaned back for a better view and saw tears streaming down her face as she whimpered softly.

He ran his hand across her cheek and shook her lightly. "Emma, Emma, love."

Killian flinched back in surprise when she let out an earsplitting cry and fell into his arms sobbing.

He felt his shoulder and neck getting wet from her uncontrolled sobs as she shook in his arms. "Emma, lass, it's alright. It was just a dream," he assured as he squeezed her tightly against his chest, peppering kisses in her hair and nuzzling her with his neck.

After a minute, Emma pulled away and wiped the tears from her face. She stared back at Killian through the darkness and bit her lip in embarrassment.

"Oh my god, Killian, I'm—"

"What happened?" he asked softly.

Emma was quiet for a minute as she stared down into her lap and answered with reluctance. "I was drowning, and you didn't come. Someone else did, but he couldn't save me. It was all wrong. _It wasn't you_ , and I slipped beneath the waves, and," she paused as she took a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't come back up."

Killian nodded in understanding before his gaze shifted over to Lady, who lay calmly on the couch next to them, seemingly observing the exchange. "You've been having a lot of nightmares since the accident?" he asked as she stared down at the pup.

"Why do you say that?" Emma narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she responded.

Killian turned back to face her as he gestured to his side. "Lady seems fairly used to you screaming out in terror."

Emma was quiet as she thought over his response. She hated that he always saw right through her. "Maybe," she conceded.

Killian leaned forward to press a gentle kiss against her forehead and wiped away a stray tear from her eye. "There won't be anyone else. I'll come to rescue you, I promise. I'll always save you."

Emma let out a shaky breath and nodded her head as Killian reached forward to scoop her into his arms and lay back on the couch.

They were lying down now, in a far more intimate position than before, but Killian didn't allow himself to second guess. Emma had her head nuzzled into his neck, her blonde hair spread over his chest, and this was perfect.

"I won't let anything bad happen to you, Emma," he whispered gently against her hair.

Emma smiled as she began to doze off, completely relaxed in his gentle, yet firm, hold. "I know."

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!**


	6. Chapter 6

Killian felt himself begin to wake, but fought to remain in that hazy state between sleeping and waking where he reveled in the comfort of the couch beneath him and the sweet smell of Emma permeating throughout her apartment. He would stay here, like this, forever if it weren't for the unsettling sense of weight on his chest and the odd sensation of something _wet_ on his face.

Reluctantly, he forced his eyes open only to come face to face with Lady. She was standing on top of him, her front paws planted firmly on his collarbone, and she was covering his face with slobbery dog kisses. "Ack, Swan, help," he called out with a chuckle as he fought to keep her pup at bay.

Emma rushed over, fully dressed and showered. "Lady, down girl," Emma scolded. Lady ceased her assault on Killian and hopped down to the floor, allowing him to finally sit up and smirk up at Emma.

"Lass, you shouldn't send your dog to do your dirty work," he teased with a toothy grin. "Of course, if you do need to wake me again, that is my preferred method."

Emma let out a huff and laughed, despite herself. "You're unbelievable."

He nodded proudly as he stood up and wiggled his nose. "Is that bacon that I smell?"

"I figured I owed you a hearty breakfast after the late night drive and then waking you up again in the middle of the night with my ridiculous nightmare," Emma replied as she shuffled on her feet.

Killian frowned at her words as he responded back, his voice barely above a whisper. "You know, Emma, it's quite normal to experience them after a traumatic event, especially considering you faced the stormy sea without knowing how to swim. You needn't apologize or feel embarrassed."

Emma stared back at him and let out a small breath of relief. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "At least I know how to swim now," she tacked on as she thought of their lessons.

Killian chuckled as he shook his head to object. "Don't get ahead of yourself. We've had three lessons, lass. You know how to avoid drowning. You don't quite have swimming down."

Emma pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him. She was a fine swimmer now; he just wanted to prolong their lessons. She wouldn't address that, _not yet_.

"Let's eat," she declared as she spun on her heel and headed to the kitchen.

They ate in relative silence and contentment, Killian wolfing down his bacon as if it would be his last meal. Emma watched him in amusement as she racked her brain for the right words. She needed to say _something_ about them, _anything_ , but she just couldn't settle on exactly what that should be.

Finally, once they'd both nearly cleared their plates, Emma summoned the courage to address the elephant in the room. "Listen, Killian, I've been thinking and—Well, I'm not good at _this_ ," she paused and took a deep breath, "but I'm not planning on seeing Graham, or any other men for that matter, anytime soon. You're it," she said awkwardly and she stared down at her empty plate and poked around at the dishware with her fork.

He smiled brightly and swallowed the last bit of his scrambled eggs. "Good," he said huskily as he walked toward her and pinned her against the counter with his body. He reached his hand up to thumb at the apple of her cheek before he leaned in to place a gentle, loving kiss against her lips. He pulled away, much too soon for Emma's liking and ran his finger across her bottom lip. "I'm really glad you called."

Emma opened her eyes and stared up at him. She felt absolutely light-headed and giddy. "I'm really glad you came."

Killian leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes as he sighed, "I wish I could stay with you all day, but my shift starts in a few hours."

Emma didn't answer at first. She wanted to revel in this perfect moment. Her lips still buzzed from the wonderful feel of his own against them. "When can I see you again?" she murmured at last.

Killian pulled away and left a tender kiss against her forehead in his place as he turned slightly and swiped the last piece of bacon from the plate. "Well, I'm off tomorrow, are you?"

"Yes," Emma said with a smile. He hadn't even left yet, and already she was eager to see him again.

Killian nodded as he took a bite of his bacon. "Good, how about you spend the day with me."

"What will we be doing?" Emma chirped, completely overcome with excitement.

Killian chewed the last of his bacon and scratched his chin as he pretended to think over her question. "It's a surprise," he exclaimed as he affectionately tapped his finger against her nose. "Wear closed-toed shoes and your hair back."

Emma's eyebrow shot up in surprise, some of her excitement wearing off. "I am very apprehensive about this."

Killian laughed at her words before brushing his hand along her arm. "Don't be. We'll have fun. I promise."

* * *

Emma felt the butterflies in her stomach grow with anticipation and slight nervousness as she stared down at the GPS on her phone. She was getting closer now. Killian had called her right after his shift to talk about their respective days and give her his home address along with a few more cryptic instructions about their date.

Emma had spent far too long getting ready that morning considering she was wearing a simple pair of jeans, a cute, but comfortable, tee shirt, and some sneakers. Still, she had to make sure her ponytail was immaculate, not a stray hair in sight, and that her makeup was flawless.

After their conversation the day before, Emma felt an added pressure for this date to be perfect. Killian was the first man she'd agreed to date in a long time. She was hopeful— because he made her feel happy and excited in a way that she'd never felt before—but she was also horrified— because eventually everyone leaves her. Why should Killian Jones be any different?

The commanding voice of her GPS pulled her from her thoughts as the somewhat pushy woman alerted Emma that her 'destination' was in just a few feet on her right. Emma looked over to see a modest, but beautiful, brick home with what appeared to be a well-kept front yard and fenced in backyard. She pulled into a long driveway and parked next to Killian's dark blue truck.

Right as she put the car in park and pulled her keys from the ignition, she saw Killian practically run out from the front door of his home, towards her car. She stepped out and walked over to meet him by his car.

"Someone's anxious to get going," Emma joked as she strolled over to close the space between them.

Killian blushed slightly. "I'm just eager to get our adventure started. You'll have a blast," he insisted as he practically bounced in place. Whatever they were doing, Killian was clearly excited about it.

She felt her shoulders fall slightly and her breath steadied as she began to relax. Her previous worries were forgotten, at least for a while, now that she was here with Killian.

A smile spread across Emma's face as she observed him, ready and eager to go. He was also dressed for an outdoor activity, wearing jeans, a red plaid shirt, and a Red Sox ball cap. "Can't I come in? I want to see your home," she pleaded as batted her eyelashes toward him.

Killian grabbed her by the hand and began tugging her toward his truck. "Afterwards, I promise, but let's go have our fun first," he insisted as he pulled open the passenger side door and practically shoved her inside.

As they drove through the beautiful, suburban town in Cape Cod that he called home, Killian pointed out various landmarks and sites along the way.

Emma hadn't explored much, but she already loved the cozy, little town. As much as she enjoyed Boston, a smaller, more relaxed town was a welcome break from her busy city life.

After about a fifteen minute drive, the two finally arrived at their destination. Emma peered through her window at the building's sign and sprawling fields before she turned to Killian and said, with some skepticism, "Batting cages?"

Killian's face lit up with childlike amusement. "Aye, baseball is fantastic," he insisted as he parked the car and turned to face Emma.

Emma felt her stomach tie in knots as she looked out at the intimidating building. "I don't know how to play," she whispered.

Killian reached over to squeeze her hand and replied back confidently, "If you can play tennis, you can play baseball."

Emma scoffed her reply. "If I swing a bat like a tennis racket, I'll hurt someone, and since you're going to be the closest one to me…"she trailed off.

Killian pursed his lips in response as he hopped out of the car and called back to her. "I'm willing to risk it."

* * *

They checked in fairly quickly, since Killian called ahead and made a reservation. Upon seeing that he put some serious thought and preparation into this, Emma decided to give baseball her best effort. If it was important to Killian, it was important to her.

Once they were geared up and in their batting cage, Killian began by giving Emma a quick lesson in how to properly stand and hold a bat. She tried to pay attention, she truly did, but something about the way his baseball cap cast a mesmerizing shadow upon his gorgeous face and the way his now rolled up sleeves accentuated his strong forearms was far more interesting.

"Alright, ready to give her a go, Swan?" he asked as he handed over the bat he was holding and stepped aside.

Emma shook her head and blinked a few times before addressing him. "Um, wait, what?"

Killian chuckled darkly before grabbing her by the waist and walking her over to the plate. "I know my good looks are distracting, love, but please try and pay attention."

Emma rolled her eyes and groaned because she could feel her face reddening. She took a deep breath, trying to focus, as she stood over the plate and gripped the bat tightly in her hand.

"Bend your knees and bring your elbows up a tad bit higher," Killian ordered as the first baseball shot from the machine. Emma swung the bat with all her might, but missed the ball.

Killian nodded, understanding something Emma didn't, as he inspected her form. "You're stopping your swing too early. Make sure you finish; make a complete swing," he instructed.

Emma tried, and failed, to hit three more balls before she finally turned to face him, defeat etched across her face. "Killian, this just isn't my sport."

"Nonsense, love. We'll get this," he insisted as he walked behind her and placed his hands on her hips, yanking her to her side. He reached around her body to hold the bat, his hands covering her own. He pulled her slightly back against him and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Now, just follow along with my movements, alright?"

Emma closed her eyes and felt absolutely dizzy. Her legs were threatening to turn to jello, and her heartbeat quickened at the delicious feel of Killian pressed against her body. Killian brought the bat, along with her arms, back and then swung forward slowly so Emma could memorize the movement.

Once he'd returned them to the starting position, a baseball shot from the machine. Killian swung their arms forward and hit the ball right to the back of the cage.

"Alright, now try without me," he ordered as dropped his hold on her and returned to the side of the batting cage.

Emma swallowed hard and nodded her head. She tried desperately to ignore the tightening in her stomach and the dizzy feeling in her head. She went over his instructions in her head and tried her best to follow the steps. She bent her knees, brought the bat back, and gripped it tightly, but not too tightly. She heard the sound of a baseball firing from the machine, and before she realized what she was doing, swung the bat with all her might. The loud smack of the baseball colliding with her bat echoed through the air as Emma saw the baseball whiz backwards toward the end of the cage.

She let the bat fall to her side and stared in utter bewilderment. Before she could say anything, Killian rushed toward her and pressed a firm kiss against her lips before pulling away. He scooped her into his arms and cheered loudly. "Look at you, lass. I knew you could do it. That was bloody brilliant."

Emma smiled proudly but tried to brush off his compliment. "I just had a good teacher."

* * *

They remained at the batting cages for just over an hour. Emma insisted on watching Killian hit them, but he did force her to take a few more swings. She managed to hit the ball twice more, much to her own shock, and pleasure. Baseball may not have been her favorite sport, but she absolutely loved seeing Killian this happy.

Once they pulled into his driveway, Emma practically jumped out of the truck, even before Killian put it into park. She rushed up to the front door step and waited impatiently for him to join her.

Killian took his time parking the car and walking up to the porch. She glared at him because he just loved to pester her. Eventually though, he joined her at the front door. "Eager to head to the bedroom, Swan?" he asked as he made a show of dramatically looking for his keys.

Emma yanked them from his pocket and tapped her foot with impatience. Killian simply laughed as he unlocked the door and held it open for her, nodding for her to enter.

Emma entered the house and found herself in a small mudroom that opened into a hallway that led to the kitchen and living room. Emma stepped out of her shoes and turned around to speak to Killian. "Do I get to scope out the place too?" Emma asked with a wicked look in her eye.

"I knew that's why you were excited," he scolded as he shook his head in disbelief. "Though, I suppose that is only fair."

The living room was shocking tidy and somewhat sparse. There was a large screen TV on the wall, a lovely fireplace in the corner, and the opposite wall was taken up by a large bookcase. "You enjoy reading," Emma observed as she thumbed through a few of the titles. Killian simply nodded and kept his face neutral as he observed her.

Emma made her way back into the kitchen and stopped when she saw a few plants kept by the window. "You enjoy gardening?" she asked as she turned around to face Killian, who had followed along behind her.

"I've always had a bit of a green thumb."

Emma turned back to the plants and paused as she examined one further. "Is this a Chia Pet?" she asked as she held up a rabbit shaped pot, covered in growing leaves.

Killian stared at the floor tiles, refusing to meet her eye as he answered. "It was a gag gift."

Emma let out a chuckle as she set down the plant and continued her exploration of the house, which was quite large for one man.

She poked her head into a few closets and the bathroom, finding nothing of true interest. Finally, she climbed up the stairs, with Killian close behind. The first bedroom she entered had pale yellow walls and was filled with children's toys and a bunk bed.

Killian followed her inside and gestured toward the beds before them. "This is where Olivia and Noah stay when they're visiting."

Emma's heart squeezed as she imagined him caring for his niece and nephew. She hadn't seen them in a while, and despite not being the biggest fan of children, Emma had to admit that she missed them, especially Olivia.

"I hope I can see them again soon."

Killian's face lit up with a smile at that. "Of course. I know they'd love to see you. Olivia has some football stories to share."

"Don't you mean soccer?" Emma asked with a sly smile.

Killian frowned and walked out of the room, ushering her along. Emma took his cue and made her way to the next bedroom-turned office space. She walked up to his desk and found some interesting memorabilia. She reached forward to pick up a baseball that was concealed in a protective glass box, but was halted by Killian's hand on her own. "That baseball was signed by the Red Sox when I was just a lad visiting the US."

Emma pulled her hand away and fought to suppress a giggle. Apparently the baseball was _not_ to be touched. She turned her attention toward a plastic figure on the desk. That she did pick up and was not stopped either. "What's this?" Emma asked as she spun around to face Killian and wave the little man before him.

"That, Swan, is an action figure," he said.

Emma turned the figure around in her hand and almost lost it when she took in his shaggy brown hair, white tunic, black vest, and drawn gun. "Is this Han Solo?"

"Without Han Solo, Luke would have never gotten off Tattooine, pursued his Jedi training, and overthrown the emperor. Han Solo is important, and—," Killian paused suddenly, letting out a huff as he seemed to change his mind. "You have a sweater for your dog, so I don't want to hear it."

Emma burst out laughing and placed the action figure back on his desk. "Fair enough. We'll call it a draw," she insisted as she left the room and headed down the hallway.

Emma paused before the door and looked back at Killian with a questioning look. This had to be his bedroom, and technically, he never saw hers while he was at her apartment.

Killian stared into her eyes and nodded, understanding her unspoken question.

Emma pushed the door open and entered his room. The first thing she noticed was the gray comforter on his nicely-sized bed. She quickly turned her attention to his dresser and the line of picture frames sitting atop it. She leaned forward to make out each picture and felt as though she was glimpsing right into Killian's heart.

There was a picture of Killian and Liam as children at a baseball game each sporting Red Sox jerseys. He had pictures of Olivia and Liam's latest school photos framed. There was one of Liam from his wedding day. Emma picked that picture up to examine it further. Liam's wife, Elsa, was beautiful, and the two looked so in love in their picture. Another photo on the dresser was one of Killian and Eric in what appeared to be formal military dress.

"That's from the day we graduated from rescue swimmer training," he explained as he peeked over her shoulder.

He looked so young. She couldn't imagine such a young man jumping from a helicopter into treacherous waters. Then again, Emma tried not to think of Killian jumping into dangerous waters now.

Emma placed the frame down and picked up the last remaining picture on the dresser.

"Who's this?" she asked as she pointed to the object a young Killian was holding in the picture.

"I had a pet turtle when I was a kid. Liam bought it for me just after we moved to the US, since I didn't have any friends or acquaintances."

Emma smiled brightly as she carefully placed the picture back down. The more she heard about Killian's brother, the more she liked him.

She wrapped Killian into a tight embrace. "Thank you for letting me glimpse into your life."

Killian nodded and placed a sweet kiss against her lips before pulling away. "Well, that's what the purpose of dating is, right lass?"

Emma shook her head in agreement before she rang her hands together nervously.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Emma looked back at him with sad eyes, "You don't have to tell me today, but eventually, I'd like to know what a bachelor like yourself is doing with a three bedroom house."

Killian dropped his gaze to the ground. "I appreciate that, Emma, but it's probably fair that I tell you now. I—" he took a deep breath and shifted on his feet, "I was previously married."

Emma nodded her head in understanding. "I'm sorry."

"Why do I get the distinct impression that you're not surprised?" Killian asked as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"You have floral wallpaper across the top of your bathroom. It doesn't take a detective to figure out a woman lived here before," Emma replied with a shrug.

Killian nodded in understanding as he recalled that gaudy wallpaper he'd been meaning to replace for some time now. "Oh."

Emma was quiet for a moment as she debated pushing the subject, but in the end, her curiosity got the best of her. "When I returned your coat and you said you recognized the look of 'someone who was going to run'—"

"Yes," Killian replied, cutting her off before she could finish her question.

Emma could tell he was hurting, and she didn't know how to make him feel better because she knew how painful it was, and she wanted him to understand that. Before she could stop herself, she was speaking. "I was engaged before."

Killian's mouth fell slightly ajar at the shock of her admission. "Really?"

"I caught him cheating a month before the wedding," she explained in barely a whisper, trying to keep the hurt note from her voice.

Killian winced at her tale and softened his tone as he responded. "Bloody hell, Swan. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. It was better than being left, like my first serious relationship. I honestly don't have a good track record."

There was a pregnant pause between them as they digested the heaviness of their conversation and tried to mask their respective wounds. Killian was the first to speak, as he scratched nervously behind his ear. "You're not bothered that I'm divorced?" he asked, with a hint of worry in his voice.

"No, of course not," Emma responded, not giving it a thought.

Killian reached out to take her hand in his and he placed a gentle kiss against her palm. He stared deeply into her eyes and gave her a small smile in return. "I'm not discouraged by your track record."

Emma's blinked up at him as a small smile spread across her face.

* * *

They decided to order pizza for dinner and spent their evening relaxing on the couch and watching TV after the surprisingly rigorous romp at the batting cages. As much fun as their outing had been, Emma loved this feeling of comfort and contentedness. She loved that doing nothing with Killian still felt so wonderful.

Emma felt herself drifting away as Killian held her tightly against his chest, and she fought to keep her eyes open. She squinted to read the digital clock under the TV and grimaced when she noted how quickly their time together had passed. "Killian, I have to get home. I have work tomorrow," she said with a groan. She wanted to stay like this forever, but she had to get back to Lady, and she needed to be at the station early tomorrow.

"I wish you could stay the night," Killian said quietly as he brushed his hand along her thigh.

Emma bit her lip against his words. She knew what he meant by staying the night, and as badly as she wanted to be with Killian, she just couldn't take that next step. Not yet.

Emma wiggled out of his embrace and stood up to stretch her legs and ready herself for the hour long drive back to Boston. "I…I can't. I'm just not ready," she whispered with some embarrassment. "I'm sorry."

Killian rose to join her as he walked her to the door. "Don't be sorry, Emma. It's okay. I don't want to rush you," he assured as he reached forward to twirl a loose curl that escaped the confines of her ponytail.

Emma stared down at her shoes and responded back, hating how small she sounded, "I just hate making you wait."

"I'd wait forever for you," Killian insisted as he gently lifted her chin, purposely catching her gaze. He gave her a devilish grin as he continued, "But please, don't take me up on that."

Emma laughed before leaning in to press another peck against his lips. He always made her feel better. As she descended his porch steps and headed to her car, her heart ached; she wasn't even out of the driveway yet, and she already missed him terribly.

She was too attached, she was in way over her head, and she'd never been happier.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading this one; it was fun to write! This chapter was mostly from Emma's viewpoint, but the next one will have more from Killian's perspective. Please leave a review and share your thoughts with me! I love reading each and every one I get :)**


	7. Chapter 7

The three women stared at Ruby as she tapped her finger against her bright, red lips and glossed over the menu. "And, we'll have a bottle of Pinot Noir with all of that. Thanks," she ordered as she folded her menu and handed it to the waiter.

Mary Margaret gawked at her from across the table, "Ruby, it's noon," she scolded.

"Is there any reason you shouldn't be drinking?" Ruby asked with a devious cock of her eyebrow.

All eyes immediately turned to Mary Margaret as a blush covered her face. "No, there is not. Thank you."

They were all betting on when Mary Margaret and David would be expecting. If an announcement was made within the next two months, Emma was due to get $50 from Ruby and Kathryn.

Kathryn noted Mary Margaret's embarrassment and quickly changed the subject as she turned her attention towards Emma and gave her friend a challenging smirk. "I think this is taking away from Emma, who has gathered us all here for _some_ reason," she teased.

Emma's mouth fell open as she scoffed in amusement. "Can't I just invite my friends out for lunch?"

"Nope, spill it," Ruby demanded as she dug into the bread basket at the center of the table.

Mary Margaret lit up as she looked back and forth between Ruby and Emma. "This is about Killian, isn't it?" she asked as she practically bounced out of her chair.

Emma internally groaned. She hated being the center of attention, and she knew a relationship with Killian would garner many questions, so she decided to go ahead and get it all over with in one fell swoop by telling her best friends all at once.

Emma took a deep breath and spit out her words in a big jumble, "We've been seeing each other for two weeks now."

Their waiter arrived with appetizers just as Emma made her announcement, and the poor guy jumped back in shock at the shrieks and squeals of her friends. Emma hid her face in absolute horror. Everyone in the restaurant was probably looking at them, and now she had to leave that incredibly patient waiter a generous tip.

"Guys, please, you're overreacting. We just started dating," Emma forced out in a hushed murmur as she tried to encourage her friends to follow her example and lower their voices.

"Oh, you've been hanging out for longer than that, and I have some compromising security footage from the gym to prove it," Kathryn insisted as she swatted Emma's shoulder and laughed.

Emma bit her lip in embarrassment before she remembered the gym. "That reminds me," she said as she turned toward Kathryn with a plotting gleam in her eye, "isn't it time you made someone other than Jim employee of the month?"

The four erupted into a fit of giggles at that. They were quiet for a minute as they dug into their appetizers, until Ruby resumed. "I only saw him once, but Killian was hot," she said as she bit down on a mozzarella stick and nodded at Emma in approval.

"Ruby, you think all guys are hot," Kathryn teased from across the table.

Ruby shrugged her shoulders and shot back a devious smile. "That's true. So, how is he in bed?"

Mary Margaret gasped and glared over at her friend. " _Ruby_." Still, she didn't seem to disapprove of the question too much because she quickly joined Kathryn and Ruby in staring Emma down, awaiting an answer.

Emma bit her lip and looked away shyly. "We haven't been together yet."

"What's wrong with him?" Ruby blurted out without missing a beat.

"Nothing, it's just that I want to take things slow," Emma admitted shyly. She smiled as she thought over the past few weeks with Killian "He's been really amazing about it. He's patient, funny, smart, and he's great with kids. He has a niece and nephew that he just adores, and he—" Emma paused midsentence when she realized she was rattling on about Killian as if she was a teenage girl. She shifted in her seat and coughed slightly as she changed the subject. "Well, anyway— how are things with you guys?"

Mary Margaret beamed at Emma from across the table and reached out to squeeze her hand. "You're so happy."

"She's glowing," Kathryn added as the three gave her _that_ look- the one that said she had it bad and she wasn't fooling anyone.

"Guys," Emma sounded through gritted teeth.

Ruby danced in her seat happily as she continued right along. "He sounds perfect. When do we get to meet him?" she asked before quickly tacking on, "Well, meet him again."

Emma was quiet as she thought over the question. She was always hesitant to introduce men to her friends. She'd been dating her ex-fiancé, Walsh, for over six months before she finally let him meet the gang. Killian though, Killian was different. Not to mention, she'd already met some of his family. She'd introduce him as soon as she could. She knew her friends would love him; she just hoped he would feel the same.

"He's been busy with work lately. His partner, Eric, is on paternity leave," Emma explained.

Ruby quirked his eyebrows at the sound of the name. "Eric was the one who saved us too, right?"

Emma nodded as she took a sip of her drink. "Yes, his wife Ariel gave birth to a baby boy, so Eric is taking a month's paternity leave, which has made things a bit hectic at the base."

"Well I hope we get to meet him soon," Mary Margaret sang. From the look on her face, Emma could tell her friend was already planning an elaborate dinner party for the meeting.

Emma smiled. She appreciated how eager her friends were to meet him. "I promise, you will."

As their food arrived and her friends went about exchanging gossip and conversation, Emma smiled brightly to herself. She normally loathed introducing men to her friends, but with Killian, she was excited. She couldn't wait for him to meet her friends, and she couldn't wait for them to meet the man who had saved her, in more ways than one.

* * *

Killian tugged at the wetsuit constricting his neck as he held onto the pilot's seat before him and looked out through the helicopter's windshield, his eyebrows knitted in thought. He ran over the mission details in his head as he surveyed the scene: a small, personal vessel radioed in an hour ago requesting assistance for the five souls on board. The two children and one elderly woman were of particular concern as he took in the foreboding storm winds and unforgiving rain that was wreaking havoc on the skies.

As the helicopter reached its set coordinates and began a short descent, Killian got a glimpse of what remained of the vessel below as it was assaulted with seemingly never-ending waves. The boat was taking on water quickly; it would be a miracle if they could get all five out before the boat was claimed by the sea, but Killian had pulled off greater feats, and he wasn't about to lose anyone, not today.

Another man strolled up to stand by Killian's side as he bent down to squint through the window in front of them. He nodded down to the two pilots, Tina and Robin, as he barked out his order. "You two take us to the starboard side; we'll drop from there."

Killian groaned to himself and gritted his teeth. With Eric gone for the past two weeks, Killian had spent most of his missions working with a newer, cocky swimmer, Will Scarlet. The two rarely saw eye to eye, which had led to some heated arguments before, but they had minutes, if that, to spare in this situation.

"Are you serious?" Killian demanded in disbelief as he turned to stare down Scarlet. "Not with the wind gushing the way it is. We'd be better off port. Drop us at the portside bow," Killian insisted as he nodded down to Tina and Robin.

Will glared back at him in annoyance and opened his mouth to argue before he was silenced by Tina. "Sorry, but I agree with Killian," she called as she held the controls tightly in her hand.

Will scoffed as he fired back, vitriol spilling from his voice, "Well you would, wouldn't you?"

Tina turned in her seat to stare up at him and answered back in offence, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're good friends. Not to mention, he's Captain's brother. Bad business pissing him off," Will called as he stepped closer to Killian, his face contorted into a look of disgust.

Killian balled his fist at his side and nearly took a swipe at the pratt before an unexpected gust of wind shook their balance. Killian gripped the seat tighter as he steadied himself and turned to look at the boat below. "We don't have the bloody time for this."

"Starboard then," Will answered coolly.

Killian gritted his teeth and took a deep breath before he looked down to Tina and Robin, nodding his consent. If this mission went wrong because of that damn fool, he'd ring Will Scarlet's neck.

He walked toward the door, making sure to knock Scarlet in the shoulder as he passed, and took a seat at the edge of the helicopter, dangling his feet over the side. Will joined him and silently followed suit as the helicopter lowered into position.

Finally, when they had the all clear from the pilots and Smeeson, who was on hand to help with the rescue, Killian took a deep breath and plunged into the ocean below.

Immediately, Killian was immersed in the freezing waters. He was cold, so so cold. When he was a newer recruit, just starting out, the cold was painful, nearly paralyzing. After all these years though, he'd come to love it. The sting against his body filled him with adrenaline, making him feel alive, and fueling him with the energy he needed to move like lightning through the water as he rushed to save the latest victim of the brutal sea.

Killian rose to the surface and took a deep breath as he squinted through the rain to see Will fighting against the wind as he attempted to get close enough to the vessel to board. Killian grimaced at the sight— just what he'd anticipated. The wind was pushing waves back at them, making it nearly impossible to board the vessel from that side. They'd have to swim around to the portside to catch a break and get onto the boat.

Will swam back to meet up with Killian, embarrassment in his eyes as he visibly swallowed his pride and forced out, "We need to swim around to port."

Killian nodded and the two began to speed through the water. The storm was getting worse, the helicopter was on a limited supply of fuel, and with children and a senior on board, they had weak swimmers on hand. There was no time to spare.

After fighting with the waves for less than a minute, but what felt like eternity to Killian, they were finally able to board the vessel and found a scared, soaked family of five huddled together in their lifejackets, awaiting the rescuers.

Despite their clash, Killian and Will worked swiftly together. They immediately grabbed an older woman, who Killian presumed was the grandmother, and a little girl, from the boat and placed them in the rescue basket Smeeson had sent from above.

Killian's heart was beating a mile a minute as the storm worsened around them. He gazed up at the helicopter, watching Smeeson help the grandmother and little girl aboard as he silently urged him, _begged_ him, to go faster. They needed to get the other three family members to safety.

Finally, the basket returned empty as Killian and Will held onto the couple and their small boy. The boat was nearly submerged, and they were struggling to keep everyone afloat. Just as Killian helped the mother into the basket and turned to grab the little boy, he heard a high pitched scream pierce through the howling storm winds.

Killian flipped around to see the father shouting in panic as Will rushed off into the crashing waves: _the little boy was nowhere in sight._

He clutched the father by the arm and tried to yank him toward the basket. "No, my son, I have to—"

"Get in the basket. _Now._ I can't help them if I'm here with you," Killian ordered as he stared warningly into the man's eyes.

The man nodded solemnly as he crawled into the basket and held his now distraught wife to his chest. Killian signaled up to Smeeson and watched for a second as the basket ascended into the air. Once he was confident that the couple was secure, he spun around, searching frantically to see if he could spot Will or the boy.

Thankfully, just as he was about to set off in search, Killian spotted Will swimming toward him, the little boy in tow. Killian sighed and released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He met up with the two and helped Will pull the little lad below the helicopter. Once they'd gotten there, the basket was already on its way back down.

The three quickly climbed inside, which was a bit of a tight squeeze, but thankfully the basket was able to hold their weight. As the basket rose through the sky, Killian looked down at the crashing waves below. Just as he did, he caught sight of the final piece of the boat sinking below the surface. He stared down at the dark blue waters below and was overcome with an eerie feeling. The sea looked as though it hadn't been touched, as though a boat had never crossed its path that day.

Killian smiled brightly at the family as the three were helped aboard the helicopter by Smeeson, and the little boy was immediately enveloped into a crushing hug by his frantic mother. He gave Will an affirming pat on the back before he took a seat and counted up the family. All five were aboard. With that, Killian closed his eyes and leaned back, his mind and body finally able to rest.

His rest didn't last as long as he would have hoped. Once the helicopter had returned to the station, Will and Killian were showered with hugs and surprisingly painful cheek pinches from an incredibly grateful grandmother.

After a few minutes, they were finally able to break away from the praise and head to the lockers to change into proper clothes.

They walked in unison, but didn't speak, an awkward silence crushing them. Finally, Killian decided to be the first one to bite. "You were great out there this afternoon. I thought we were going to lose that kid," Killian noted as they finally got to the locker room.

Will shrugged at the compliment. "Thanks, mate," he said, a clear hint of uneasiness in his tone. "Listen, I—" he began as he sought for his words. "You were right about the portside," he finally admitted as he stared into his locker, unable to meet Killian's eyes.

Killian nodded in understanding. He knew apologizing was no small matter for Will Scarlet. He'd only be working with Scarlet for a few more weeks until Eric's return, but he had a feeling their time together would be more manageable after this latest mission. Killian threw on a clean shirt and shorts, shutting his locker as he turned to reply back to Will. "No matter. We'll start fresh tomorrow."

* * *

Killian put his truck in park and slumped forward, resting his head on the steering wheel. He was so bloody exhausted, he was starving, he had a pounding headache, and he had no willpower to leave his driveway. The thought of his large, warm bed, _he would likely only make it to the couch_ , powered him on as he threw open the car door and trudged up to porch.

As he turned the key and pushed open his front door, he was immediately surprised by the pleasant aroma filling the house and the sound of music echoing from the kitchen. Killian stood in the doorway in confusion as he peeked back outside. Maybe Elsa had stopped by, but why wasn't her car in the driveway?

He was too tired to care, so he simply kicked off his shoes, ignoring his normally tidy urges and letting them fall haphazardly to the floor as he padded through the hallway and into the kitchen.

Killian stood in the archway and watched as Emma watered his Chia rabbit on the windowsill and danced along to the blaring music.

Killian opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by the loud buzzing of a timer. Emma quickly ducked down to empty the stove and finally noticed him when she turned around to place her meal on the kitchen island.

"Killian, you're home just in time," she squeaked excitedly as she rushed over to greet him. She halted in front of him and reached up to trace a line under his eye and she frowned. "You look absolutely exhausted," she noted, worry etched across her face.

He reached up to grab her hand and kissed her palm lightly as he stared back at her, still somewhat confused. "Swan, what are you doing? How did you get in?"

"I hope you don't mind," Emma began nervously as she gauged his reaction. "I know you had a long shift today, and I thought I'd surprise you with dinner. I even parked down the street, so you wouldn't see my car," she said as her face reddened. Emma bit her lips and stared at his chin instead of his eyes as she continued, "As for getting in, well, you keep your spare key under one of your potted plants, which, as a detective, I must tell you is a bad idea."

Killian chuckled as he gazed at her in amazement. What a clever, thoughtful, amazing woman. How had he gotten so lucky? "Bloody hell, you are an angel, truly. I barely have the energy to heat up the leftovers Elsa gave me yesterday," he chimed happily as he leaned forward to capture her lips in a tired, but loving kiss.

Emma pulled away and brushed her hand affectionately through his disheveled work hair. He smelled like salt water; he was probably too tired to shower after his latest rescue. "Here, come sit down and get off your feet," she insisted as she led him over to the island and pulled a stool out, gesturing for him to take a seat. "Did you have a good day at work?" she asked as she went about scooping the lasagna she'd made, _heated up_ , onto plates.

Killian nodded as he recounted his latest rescue and the near loss of the child. "Thank God Scarlet's _almost_ as fast a swimmer as I am," he said with a teasing grin as he practically shoveled the lasagna in his mouth.

"Is he still hard to work with?" Emma asked cautiously. She knew how difficult Scarlet had been for the past two weeks.

Killian swallowed his latest bite and paused as he thought over her question. "You know, I think we made peace tonight."

Emma lit up at that as she picked at her dinner. "I had lunch with the girls today, and they're all eager to meet you," she stated as she stared down at her plate.

"Is that so?" Killian asked, eager for Emma to continue.

Emma plopped her fork down and shuffled in her seat as she cleared her throat and continued. "Well, do you think you would possibly like to meet them?"

Killian's face softened at the clear edge of nervousness in her voice. Just like his Swan to always overthink things.

Killian reached across the island to lift her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Emma, they're a big part of your life. I would be delighted to meet them whenever you're ready."

Emma visibly calmed, her shoulders falling at the reassurance in his voice. "You're off Saturday night, right? Maybe you would want to meet them then?"

Killian nodded brightly as he continued to eat his lasagna. Emma had spoken very highly of her friends ever since they'd started spending time together. He knew this was taking a new step in their relationship, which was bloody fantastic. He just hoped they'd like him.

After they'd finished their dinner, Emma grabbed him by the hand, insisting that he get to sleep. Killian crawled into his bed as Emma admired the pictures on his dresser before walking over to press a chaste kiss against his forehead.

"I'll call you tomorrow," she said as she beamed down at him and watched as he got under the covers. She turned to walk to the doorway, but halted when Killian called out quietly to her. "Emma, thank you."

She spun around on her heel and crossed her arms over her chest as she shrugged off his compliment. "Don't mention it."

Killian sat up in response as he stared across the room at her. "No really, I appreciate it. You didn't have to do this," he insisted quietly as he reached up to scratch behind his ear.

Emma's features softened as she gazed down at him. "Of course I did. I care about you," she insisted with a light tone.

Killian stared at her in complete awe for a few seconds until she finally flipped off the light switch and left the room. The door clicked and he strained his ears to catch the last of her footsteps trailing down the hallway, eager to hold onto any part of her while she still remained.

He closed his eyes and smiled. He hadn't felt this light, this giddy, this happy in a long time. He fell asleep quickly, no haunting, late night thoughts of exes or parents, or any troubles at all. The last thing he saw before his mind fell into sleep was the bright smile of _his_ Swan.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed seeing Emma with her friends and getting a better glimpse at the actual 'search and rescue' portion of this story! The next few chapters all contain some important (and fun) milestones for our couple. I can't wait for you all to read them. Until then, please let me know how you liked this chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** While S &R is overall a T rated story, there will be about 2-3 chapters out of the 22+ planned featuring an M rated scene at the end. (These scenes are always placed at the end so they can be skipped if readers wish to do so.) **This chapter does contain an M rated scene.** I know many of you will be happy to hear that, but for those of you who do not enjoy content of that nature, _no worries_ , simply stop reading right before the final scene. Other than that, please enjoy the chapter. Killian will be meeting Emma's friends, and we'll get some hints about his past too!

* * *

Killian clicked the 'end' button on his phone just as he entered the kitchen and leaned against the counter, letting a long sigh escape his lips. He scratched behind his ear as he stared down at the blank screen of his phone.

"Chatting with Emma?" Liam asked as he ceased his chopping and turned to face Killian.

Killian nodded absentmindedly, only half hearing his brother as he thought of his conversation. "Aye."

"Speaking of, when am I going to get to meet her?" Elsa added in a teasing, but also serious, tone as she popped a meatloaf in the oven and walked over to stand next to Killian.

"Soon," he murmured, his disinterest more than apparent.

Liam and Elsa exchanged worried glances, prompting Liam to place his knife down on the counter and take a break from his task. "What wrong? You seem uneasy, Killian."

Killian finally placed his phone back in his pocket and wrung his hands together as he stared down at the tile flooring. "We're having dinner with all of her friends tomorrow."

"The ones you rescued?" Liam questioned.

Killian nodded. "Yes, and their partners."

Liam shrugged, not quite seeing the problem as he softened his tone. "Well, you already have one mark in their books— you saved their lives."

Killian huffed in annoyance as he shifted on his feet. "They're not just her friends; they're her _family._ This is big. They have to like me. They—"

Liam cut in before he could finish. "What's not to like about you, little brother?" he stated more out of offence at the idea that anyone would dislike his brother than out of true curiosity.

Elsa smiled sweetly as she placed her hand on Killian's shoulder. "Just be yourself."

"Thanks, _Mum_ ," Killian grumbled as he frowned in response.

Elsa rolled her eyes and continued. "Listen, when women meet their friend's new boyfriend, they're just focused on whether or not he makes her happy. As long as you're yourself and you show them that you truly care about Emma, they'll love you," she insisted.

Killian was quiet as he thought over her words. Elsa had never given him bad advice before, but she only accounted for Emma's female friends. The person Killian truly needed to impress was David. He was much more than Emma's partner on the force; he'd been her best friend and a brother to her since high school. Emma raved about him, and if there was one person Killian needed on his side, it was David.

He took a deep breath and decided to strategize about David later. He threw on his brightest grin and finally responded back to his sister-in-law. "You're right, Elsa. Thanks."

Elsa placed a motherly kiss against his forehead before gliding over to stir a pot on the stove. "You're not fooling me, Killian Jones. That's the fakest smirk I've ever seen," she scolded over her shoulder.

Killian opened his mouth to object, but was silenced as Elsa continued. "It'll be fine, and afterwards, bring Emma over for a family dinner, so I can finally meet her. Everyone, _but me_ , has met her: Liam, Tina, Eric, even the kids. I'm a little offended."

Killian chuckled and nodded confidently. "I will."

Liam clapped his hands together and took a step toward Killian. "Good. Now that we've settled all that, you can help me chop these carrots," Liam ordered as he grabbed Killian by the shoulder and dragged him over to the counter.

"Yes, _Captain_."

* * *

From the minute Killian arrived at her apartment, knocking fervently on the door and pacing around in her hallway, unaware of her gazing eyes from the peephole, Emma was filled with a mixture of guilt and giddiness. Mostly she felt guilty over feeling giddy while Killian was clearly anxious.

She hadn't introduced a man to her friends in a long time. In fact, she spent most of her day fretting over the evening, but as soon as Killian arrived, wearing a pristinely ironed, red oxford shirt with fitted, black slacks and what appeared to be his nicest dress shoes, Emma could tell he was out to impress. Her suspicions were later confirmed as he _casually_ questioned her about David's interests during the car ride to the Nolan home.

He practiced her friends' names aloud with her during most of the car ride, making sure he'd be able to match names with faces. He also was sure to know all their professions and some basic interests. He'd even asked about _"sports affiliations,"_ but dropped the subject after Emma nearly swerved off the road from her laughter.

When Emma finally took the last spot in the driveway, finding that all her friends had arrived before them, she put the car in park and turned to face Killian. His eyebrows were knitted together in worry as he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants.

Emma reached over the seat to grab his hand, interlacing their fingers and purposely catching his gaze. "Killian, it means so much to me that you want to impress my friends, but please, don't be nervous. They'll like you; I know it," she insisted as she squeezed his hand in hers and smiled brightly. He didn't seem to be assured by her words, so she tacked on for good measure, "Honestly, of the group, I'm the hardest to impress, and you've already won me over."

Killian finally looked back at her, a twinkle in his eye as relief seemed to wash over him. He let out a nervous chuckle as he nodded back, "Aye, that's a good point. That actually does make me feel a tad better, lass."

Emma shook her head in exasperation as she let go of his hand and hopped out of the car.

They walked up to the front door, hand in hand. Just as Emma reached up to knock on the door it swung open, revealing her entire gang of friends standing together awkwardly in the hallway. Emma rolled her eyes as she watched the group try to nudge forward to greet Killian first. They had obviously been watching them from the window and just waiting by the door for the two to walk up.

Emma looked to her side to see Killian smiling, flashing them his most confident grin as he reached out to shake Mary Margaret's hand. Emma smiled as she watched him step forward and say hello to everyone, greeting them by their names, _his practice had paid off_. She knew he must have been nervous, but he always had a way of masking his nerves with confidence, borderline cockiness. Emma followed after him as they both entered the house and were swarmed by her friends, all eager to meet Killian and shower him with questions.

Killian not only succeeded in impressing her friends, but he was impressing Emma too. She was in awe of him as she watched him schmooze and mingle with her friends. He talked to Ruby about her work at Kathryn's boutique _, which couldn't have been interesting to him_ , and still he asked her questions and listened to her talk about fashion for a good ten minutes. Mary Margaret made him look at her and David's wedding album, and he nodded along and smiled like a champ. David was a bit standoffish as the group mingled before dinner, but Killian still did his best to chat with him. As soon as Killian brought up the boat, David seemed to soften and then gave him every detail about his new vessel.

Emma watched on the entire time, beaming at how well he fit in with her friends, but also gauging his reactions. She didn't just want her friends to like Killian; she wanted him to like them too.

Finally, Mary Margaret returned from her trip to the kitchen to announce that dinner was ready. The eight all headed into the dining room and took their seats around the table. Emma made sure to have Killian sit between her and David, knowing that he was mostly eager to befriend David that night.

The group happily munched on the filet minion Mary Margaret had prepared as they all made small talk. Soon though, the conversation turned back to Killian, as they were all still quite curious about Emma's new beau. Kathryn requested that he tell them about rescuing Emma, Mary Margaret, David, and Ruby. They'd all heard it before, but, as Kathryn insisted, his perspective would be far more interesting.

Once Killian had regaled the group with the tale and a few other stories of his daring rescues, at their eager request, David cleared his throat to speak. "So, if you're British, how are you in the _United States_ Coast Guard?" David asked as he took a bite of his string beans and turned toward Killian.

Mary Margaret glared at her husband from her place at the opposite end of the table. " _David_ ," she scolded.

David swallowed his food and shrugged his shoulders. "What? _You're_ the one who asked me earlier."

Killian chuckled and dismissed Mary Margaret's objection with a small wave of his hand. "Really, it's fine. I'm British _and_ American. My mum was born and raised here in Boston. She met my father when she was traveling in England and ended up settling there, but she brought us kids back to visit Boston with her during summers."

The entire group let out a simultaneous _'oh'_ in understanding, except Emma. She frowned down at her plate as she was filled with a sense of guilt. She hadn't known that. Why hadn't she known that? Emma knew his mother passed away, but she never knew his mother was a Boston native. She should have asked Killian.

"Were you visiting family?" Kathryn asked, pulling Emma from her thoughts.

Killian took a sip from his wine glass and nodded. "Aye, we mostly visited her brother and a few distant relatives. Honestly, my brother and I just tagged along for the Red Sox games."

Victor perked up at that. "There! I knew I liked him," he exclaimed as he pointed to Killian from across the table.

Jim nodded along excitedly with Victor as he piped in, "Yeah, Emma's last guy liked the _Yankee_ s," his voice laden with disgust.

Emma almost choked on her wine. She looked across the table to stare daggers at Jim and was happy to see Kathryn smack her fiancé in the arm and gives him _that_ look, the one that promised an unpleasant conversation later.

Jim gulped nervously, as he sat up in his seat and quickly added, "You're much better than him, though. Obviously."

Emma stared back at him in disbelief. Was that his idea of _fixing_ things?

The group was overcome with an awkward silence, but thankfully it was soon broken when Killian cleared his throat and spoke. "How did you all meet?" Killian asked as he looked around the table. "I know Emma met Dave in high school, but I haven't heard the story on the rest of you."

Emma sighed in relief and promised to thank him later for changing the subject so well. She turned in her seat to address him.

"I know David _and_ Kathryn from high school," Emma said somewhat awkwardly. She'd explain _that_ to Killian in the car later. "Then, Ruby was my roommate in college. Eventually, we decided to live off campus and needed two more people for our apartment. I invited Kathryn, and Ruby invited her best friend from childhood, Mary Margaret."

Killian looked back and forth between David and Kathryn for a moment before he huffed in amusement and nodded. Emma could tell that he realized she'd left out a part of her story, but wasn't going to push. Emma smiled at that. He was clearly feeling more at ease, and she could tell by the smiles on their faces that her friends liked him.

"Anyway, how are the wedding plans coming along?" Emma asked as she turned her attention across the table to Kathryn. The focus had been on Killian for long enough; she wanted to give him a well-deserved break.

Kathryn immediately perked up at the subject of her impending wedding to Jim. "Once we have the bridesmaids dresses picked out, I'll feel much better," she chimed before delving into her elaborate wedding plans.

The rest of the evening went off without a hitch; Emma inwardly scolded herself for spending her day worrying. Everyone got along well and seemed to enjoy themselves. By the time she and Killian were saying goodbye to her friends and heading out, the entire group, including Killian, were making plans to see each other again soon.

* * *

When they got out to the car, Killian insisted on driving them back to Emma's. She'd had a few drinks at the beginning of the night to ease her nerves and apparently he'd noticed.

The drive was silent for the first few minutes as Emma tried to find a way to broach the subject that had been on her mind since dinner.

"What are you thinking, Swan?" Killian asked as he stole a glance at her before returning his eyes to the road. Even without looking at her, he could tell something was bothering her.

Emma inhaled loudly before she shifted in her seat and finally spoke up. "I didn't know your mother was from Boston."

Killian furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Why would that be bothering her? "Aye, my mum was from Boston. She met my father when she was studying abroad in England and ended up moving back to marry him after she'd graduated."

"Were you close with your mom?" Emma continued. She wanted to know everything about his mother— everything about Killian— that she could.

He was quiet for a minute before he answered. "Aye, she was wonderful, and I suppose we were close, but she died when I was quite young, just seven, so I don't have many memories of her."

Emma frowned at that. "How did she die?"

Killian clutched the steering wheel somewhat tighter at Emma's question. He sighed before mumbling back, "Another time, lass."

Emma's face fell at his words. She sat back in her seat and looked out the window. This had to have been an extremely painful subject, and she shouldn't have pushed.

Killian soon changed the subject to lighter fare. "So," he started hesitantly, "I sensed at dinner that there was more to David and Kathryn than you were letting on."

Emma giggled as she turned back to face him. "They were high school sweethearts, and they dated in college until the summer before our junior year. David started dating Mary Margaret while we were all sharing an apartment, so it was a little awkward at first."

"I can imagine. That sounds extremely awkward," he noted.

They sat in silence and listened to the radio as they made their way through the busy Boston streets.

Killian cleared his throat and mumbled quietly, worry etched in his voice, "Do you think they liked me, your friends?"

Emma looked down at her phone and smirked. "Well, considering I've already received text messages of approval from Mary Margaret, Ruby, Kathryn, and even Victor, I'd say so," she teased.

Killian smiled back, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. "Did you, uh, hear anything from David?"

Emma chuckled at that. Killian had done such a wonderful job of chatting David up and befriending him throughout the night. She really appreciated all the effort he'd gone to. "Well, Mary Margaret told me that David would like us to join them out on the boat sometime, so I'd say he likes you."

Killian beamed the whole way home.

* * *

Killian escorted her up to her apartment once they'd finally reached the complex.

"Killian, thank you so much for coming along tonight," Emma said sweetly as she pulled him into a tight hug.

He leaned forward to rest his cheek against the top of her head as he replied, "Of course. I was honored to meet your friends; I know they're important to you."

Emma nodded as she grinned and nestled against his chest.

"Maybe," he added as he took a deep breath and licked his lips nervously, "you would like to meet my family," he noted as he pulled away to meet her gaze. "Well, you've really just not met Elsa yet, and she's dying to remedy that," he added.

"Absolutely," Emma blurted without hesitation. She was nervous, but she was also eager to meet his family. They were so important to him, and despite it being somewhat early, she was ready to take that step in their relationship.

Killian gazed into her eyes lovingly before dipping down to capture Emma's lips in a soft kiss. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip before slipping it into her mouth and wrapping his hands around her back, pulling her against him. Emma moaned in appreciation, but it soon turned to a whimper as Killian pulled away and pressed his forehead against her own.

"Sorry, Swan," he said in a pained whisper, internally scolding himself, "Goodnight."

Emma flicked her eyes open and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, refusing to let him turn and leave. "Wait, do you have work tomorrow morning?"

Killian stared down at her in confusion before he shook his head. "No, afternoon."

Emma took a deep breath as she summoned her courage; she seemed to find it staring back at her through his bright, blue, _loving_ eyes. "Stay with me tonight. Please," she whispered.

Killian quirked an eyebrow in question as he stared down at her. "You mean—"

"Yes."

He bit his lip as he stared down at her. "Are you sure, Emma?"

Something about the lightness in his tone, the sincerity in his voice when he asked, erased all worry from her heart and mind. She yanked him forward, their mouths crashing together in a fierce kiss as she silently answered his question by gently nipping at his upper lip with her teeth.

Killian began walking her backward toward the couch before Emma pulled away and shook her head. "Bedroom," she commanded.

Killian smirked confidently as he peeked around her at the bedroom door. "Ah, I haven't seen your bedroom before."

Emma rolled her eyes and huffed playfully. "I know. I thought it should be a memorable first."

Killian's mouth fell open as he stared at her with a mixture of awe and lust. "Bloody hell, Swan, you'll be the death of me," he claimed as he sauntered forward and picked Emma up by the waist. Emma held him by the shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked them into her bedroom.

Once they were in the room, Killian unceremoniously plopped her down on her bed. She let out a distinctly unladylike squeak in surprise as she bounced softly against the mattress. She heard him chuckle in response, which only garnered a glare from her. She quickly softened though and laughed at herself as she lay back on the bed and reveled in the feel of him pressing his body against hers. He balanced his weight on his elbows so as not to crush her and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. She felt so lightheaded— she was happy and aroused and this was exactly where she wanted to be, here with Killian.

She raked her fingernails against his scalp as she pulled at his hair and leaned back, angling her neck to give him better access. He went about sucking and gently nipping the sweet spot on her neck, causing her to shift underneath him in pleasure.

She already felt herself getting wet in an embarrassingly short amount of time. She yanked at his shirt, pulling it open and divesting him of the material as he took a reprieve to nudge it off his shoulders and throw it to the ground.

Killian slipped his hand on her bare leg and slowly teased it higher and higher, lifting the material of the dress above her waist.

Emma felt her entire body blush as heat pooled to her core. This was going way too slowly for her liking. She needed him now. She sat up on the bed and unzipped her dress, pulling it over her shoulders and tossing it off the bed. Then, she quickly surged forward and fumbled with Killian's pant buckle and zipper, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from him.

"You are an impatient little minx, aren't you?" he teased in a husky voice as he ran his tongue along his bottom lip.

Emma paused for a second and looked up to meet his eyes, which were darkened and serious with lust. Killian appeared to see the same in her eyes, as they were both spurred into action. Killian whipped his buckle off and flung it across the room before kicking off his pants. Then he surged forward and fumbled with Emma's bra. He unclipped the flimsy material and pulled it off her, pausing for a minute and licking his lips in appreciation as he stared down at her gorgeous breasts.

He slipped her panties down her thighs before ridding her of the material, and then removed his own boxers, leaving them both bare before each other. Emma looked him over, unconsciously licking her lips in anticipation as she noted the burly splay of chest hair that led down to his taut abdominal muscles. Her gaze flicked down to his impressive length as she felt herself grow even wetter in excitement.

Killian crawled back on top of her, squeezing one of her breasts in his hand as he swirled his tongue around the nipple of the other. He peppered her chest with open-mouthed kisses as she wrapped her hand in his hair. She needed more from him; her entire body was on fire with lust.

"Stop messing around. Come on," Emma whined as she rolled her hips up against him and moaned deep in her throat.

Killian froze mid-kiss before jerking his head up to meet her gaze. "Oh no. We've not waited for this just to have it be over and done with: meaningless," he insisted as he stared down at her, his tone light, but serious at the same time. "No, I'm going to take my time. I'm going to explore you. I want to see what makes you squirm, and when my curiosity is fully sated," he continued, pausing for effect, "well, you will be too."

Emma chewed on her lip and moaned underneath him. Talking like _that_ was not helping her situation at all.

Killian leaned forward, his nose pressing against hers for a second before he moved to whisper into her ear. "Please, Emma, let me make love to you."

A tear escaped her eye before she could stop it, but it was quickly kissed away by Killian as he stared down at her, waiting for permission.

Emma looked up at him with a mixture of awe and fear. She'd never felt so exposed to another person in her life, which terrified her, but she'd also never felt so cherished by someone either. Emma nodded an 'okay' to him as she pulled him down by the shoulders.

He went back to his task, placing kisses against her chest and he moved along her body, kissing a trail down her chest, stomach, legs, and stopping at her thighs. Emma felt absolutely adored as he continued his loving assault.

Finally, when she was absolutely aching and just couldn't take it anymore she spoke up in a hoarse whisper. "Killian, please _please_ , I need you now," she begged, hating how small, how desperate, she sounded.

Killian nodded fervently, she could tell by the look in his eyes that he couldn't wait much longer either. He gently placed his hands on her thighs and spread her legs further apart as he settled himself at her entrance.

Emma breathed in sharply and slammed her eyes shut when she felt the tip of his cock brush against her slit. She opened her eyes when she felt his breath ghost across her face, finding him staring down at her, silently asking permission.

"Yes," Emma answered back immediately, not waiting for him to ask. She needed him now.

With that, Killian slowly, painfully slowly, pushed forward. Emma moaned out in pleasure and dug her nails into his shoulders as she felt him fill her deliciously. Finally, when he was fully seated inside her, Killian leaned down to press a delicate kiss against her lips before easing back out and in again.

Emma rolled her hips in response, urging him to take her just a bit faster as she brought her hand up to clasp over her mouth.

Killian chuckled as he pulled her hand away and to her side, interlacing their fingers. "I want to hear every sound you make, love," he insisted in a sinfully husky voice. He continued to slide in and out of her, dragging his cock against her walls and eliciting a string of pleasured cries from Emma.

She stared up at him and gained a sense of confidence from the wild and frantic look in his eyes. He was completely taken and wrecked by her, and she loved it.

Emma felt her head spin as white pricked at her eyes, her stomach wound impossibly tighter, and she knew she would reach the edge soon. She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him deeper inside her on his next thrust, causing them both to sigh loudly in pleasure.

Killian reached down with the hand that wasn't holding hers and pressed against her clit. "Let go, Emma. Just let go," he whispered as he pressed a sloppy kiss against her lips.

With that, Emma fell. Her entire body was consumed with pleasure as she reached her peak. Killian smoothed his hand along her stomach as she shook and cried out in ecstasy as wave after wave of bliss washed over her.

Finally, as Emma came back to her senses and fought to steady her breathing, she felt Killian's movements become erratic. She pulled him down, their bodies firmly pressed against each other, as she thrust her hips up into his. She was determined to give him the same amazing finish she'd had. Killian rocked into her a few times more before he finally stilled and finished with a breathy shout of her name falling from his lips.

They lay together, a tangle of limbs, as the two fought to catch their breath. Emma held him against her, scratching her nails gently across his back as she pressed a kiss against his neck. After a second, Killian slipped out of her and rolled to the side.

Killian stared up at the ceiling, his chest rising and falling as he fought to steady his breath. "That was—," he began, struggling to find the words to properly finish his thought.

"That was worth the wait," Emma added as she smiled up at the ceiling. The cocky bastard had been right; she was more than sated.

Killian pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest, and pressed a kiss against her forehead, burying his nose in her hair.

Emma closed her eyes and immediately felt herself begin to drift off. Their evening, their night, everything had been perfect.

* * *

 **As always, I hope you all liked this chapter! I would love to hear your thoughts on Killian meeting Emma's friends and, of course, on that final scene!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: We are back to T for a while now, folks! I hope you enjoy this chapter. We get to see the Jones Family in action!**

* * *

Emma took another bite of the delicious pancakes on her plate and licked at the thick maple syrup slipping down her lip as she watched Killian. He was _not-so-subtly_ sneaking Lady a piece of his pancake and laughing when she jumped around in appreciation. He'd teased Emma relentlessly last night when she showed up on his doorstep with Lady in tow, but really, she couldn't leave Lady cooped up in an apartment alone all night.

Killian lifted his gaze from Lady and caught Emma staring at him. He gave her a sheepish grin at getting caught and quickly spoke up before she could chastise him. "Let's have another swimming lesson this week," he announced as he took a swig of orange juice.

Emma quirked an eyebrow in response. "Okay, but if you're planning anything, you should know Kathryn has security cameras all around the gym," she teased. He probably _was_ planning something considering that in just the few days since their first time together, they hadn't been able to keep their hands off each other.

"Well, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I'm more thinking about David's invitation to go boating. I want you to have a few more swimming lessons first," he replied casually.

Emma furrowed her brow and slid off her stool as she responded. "You'll be there to save me if anything happens."

"Aye, but I might not always be," Killian insisted as he watched her stroll across the kitchen to stop before him.

"Okay, well, I really have to run. I'm supposed to meet Kathryn and the girls to try on bridesmaids dresses, and I have an hour drive ahead of me," Emma said as she checked the clock on his kitchen stove and pressed a sweet kiss against his mouth.

As soon as Emma slipped on her shoes and rushed out the door with Lady in her arms, she came face-to-face with another blonde just about to enter the home.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Emma said as she reached out to steady the woman she nearly bowled over.

The woman smiled back sweetly and laughed in response. "Don't worry. You must be Emma, right? And Lady?"

"Yes," Emma answered with a chuckle. "Elsa?" she asked, more out of politeness than genuine curiosity. The woman was clearly Killian's sister-in-law; Emma recognized her from the wedding picture on his dresser. Emma reached up to casually fix her hair, hoping it was too obvious that she'd spent the night. Then she realized that with Lady in her arms it was clear that she had. Why would she bring her dog over for a quick _morning_ visit when she lived an hour away? _Ugh_ , this wasn't how she wanted to meet Elsa, arguably the most important woman in Killian's life.

"Emma, it's so lovely to meet you. Killian has told us all about you, and the kids rave about Lady," she squeaked as she fumbled with the aluminum foil covered baking dish balanced in her arms and extended her hand out to shake Emma's.

Elsa nodded down to the dish and continued, "I'm just stopping by to drop some food off for Killian. I swear, if left to his own devices, he gets so skinny."

Emma laughed as she observed the food in Elsa's hand. "That's really kind of you," she said as she shifted on her feet. From what Killian had told her, Emma always had the impression that Elsa was more like a mother than a sister to him, and now that seemed true.

"Well, if you're free Sunday night, we're having a family dinner at our house. Liam, the kids, and I would really love it if you joined us," Elsa offered, a hint of nervousness in her tone.

"That would be amazing. I have to run, but I'll definitely see you on Sunday," Emma said cheerfully as she held the door open for Elsa with her free hand and paused for a moment before heading to her car.

Emma set Lady down in the backseat and pressed a kiss atop her furry head before hopping into the front. Emma gripped the steering wheel and paused to think over her conversation with Elsa. She was going to a Jones _family_ dinner Sunday night. Emma would be officially meeting Killian's family as his girlfriend. She took a deep breath and immediately understood Killian's nervousness this past weekend when he'd met her friends.

As Emma backed out of the driveway and set off for Boston, she knitted her brow in concentration and decided to channel her nervousness into strategy. She had five days to learn everything about the Joneses that she possibly could.

* * *

Killian swung his front door open and immediately felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of Emma before him. She wore a modest, white dress that fell just below her knees—quite appropriate for a family gathering, and yet, it hugged her in just the right places that it was sure to torture him all night. He peeked down at her feet and then behind her, a frown tugging at his lips. "No Lady?"

Emma rolled her eyes, clearly understanding the _real_ question he was asking. "No, I have work tomorrow morning, and I just want to focus on meeting your family tonight."

Killian narrowed his eyes in response. Their conversations for most of the week had revolved heavily around his family. He was sympathetic to her feelings, but still, he hated to see her nervous. The Joneses weren't hard people to impress. "You're not nervous, are you, love?"

"You were nervous before you met my friends," Emma shot back as she crossed her arms over her chest. Yes, that dress was going to torture him, and now he had no hopes of getting a reprieve later that evening.

Killian nodded. "Aye, but this is different. You've already met Liam, Olivia, and Noah."

"I only met Liam _briefly_ ," Emma corrected.

Killian shook his head. He wasn't going to be able to ease her nerves, but hopefully his family would behave themselves tonight and she'd soon feel at home. "Well, they'll love you, Swan," he insisted as he stared sincerely into her bright, emerald eyes. Really, how could they not love her? Emma, his Emma—she was a marvel.

His gaze darted back down to observe her body as he swiped his tongue across his bottom lip. "Though," he added with a devilish wink, "I must say, I'm not too happy with you—showing up on my doorstep wearing that divine dress and not staying the night. Must you torture me so?"

Emma swatted his arm playfully before tugging at his hand. "Come on. Let's go. I don't want to be late."

Killian held the car door open for Emma, as Liam had always taught him, before hopping in himself and driving the short way to his brother's home. Once they pulled into the driveway, Killian observed the front yard with some amusement. The usual litter of bicycles and toys had disappeared in a day's time—apparently Emma wasn't the only one out to make a good impression.

Killian took a deep breath as he put his truck in park and turning to face Emma. Honestly, he was just as nervous as she was. Liam, Elsa, the kids—they were the most important people in his life. He spent a great deal of time with them. He really wanted Emma to like them and feel welcome with the family.

Milah and Elsa had clashed at times which caused him a great deal of stress in the past. He was eager to avoid a repeat of that.

"You ready?" Emma asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Aye, yes. Off we go," he declared as the two exited the car and headed to the front door of the beautiful brick home before them.

Killian knocked on the door twice and waited only a second before the door swung open revealing a beaming Elsa before them. "Emma, you look stunning," Elsa complimented cheerfully as she grabbed Emma by the hand and escorted her inside. "And, Killian, it was nice of you to comb your hair for the evening," she teased as she looked back at him over her shoulder.

He groaned at that and opened his mouth to retort, but was distracted by the flash of pink before his eyes as Olivia ran through the house and practically tackled Emma. Killian stared down, a smile tugging at his lips, as Olivia wrapped her arms around Emma's legs and hugged her in excitement. "Emma! Emma! I haven't seen you in so long. I scored a goal at my last soccer game. This is my new pink dress; do you like it? Your dress is pretty. Will you play with—"

"Where's your dog?" a small voice interrupted as Noah cautiously approached the group in the hallway and stared up at Emma in question.

Elsa stared down at her son and smiled sheepishly, " _Noah._ "

Little Noah frowned in response, garnering him much sympathy from his uncle. Killian felt his pain, only for different reasons.

Emma laughed off his comment before turning her attention to Liam who had now joined the group in the quite crowded hall. He strolled over and pulled Emma into a tight, and judging from the expression on her face, unexpected hug. "It's so good to see you again, lass," he whispered before pulling away and flashing her a toothy grin.

Killian shifted on his feet and tugged at the collar of his shirt. Bloody hell. They were all smothering the poor lass, and she'd only been here for five minutes. Killian gritted his teeth in annoyance. He specifically sat down with the entire family yesterday and made them each promise not to do exactly this. He begged them to give her space and try to act normal, if only for one night. If they were already breaking that promise, who knows what else was bound to happen. Killian vowed to sneak off during dinner and hide Elsa's photo albums.

Elsa and Liam insisted on giving Emma a tour of the home. Killian followed along after the three as they showed Emma around the first floor and then all walked up the stairs to the second. Olivia ran up to join them and forced Emma to not only see her room, but also 'meet' all of her stuffed animals.

Killian peeked out of Olivia's room out into the hallway to see Noah observing them all from a distance. At least his nephew had taken the family pep talk to heart and wasn't smothering Emma.

Finally, after Liam was able to convince Elsa to cut the tour short, they were able to head back downstairs for dinner.

Killian stayed quiet through most of the meal, silently observing Emma's interactions with his family. He beamed with a sense of pride at how well she fit in with the Jones; she was a natural. Liam practically interviewed her for ten minutes straight about her job, and Emma happily answered all his questions.

Elsa and Emma chatted excitedly about tennis. Elsa had always wanted to learn, and Emma promised to teach her. Killian could tell that Emma was being sincere, and he was truly thrilled to see the two getting along.

When the subject finally turned to Olivia's latest soccer game, a tale he'd heard twice already, Killian quietly excused himself from the table. He walked towards the bathroom, but once out of sight, he quickly changed course in the direction of the study upstairs. He tiptoed like a guilty child up the stairs, careful to skip the third step from the top as it always creaked.

Once upstairs, he slipped into the study and pulled open the drawer where Elsa kept all the family photo albums. To Killian's dismay, he was met with an empty, dusty space staring back at him, promising further embarrassment. Killian groaned in defeat as he slammed the drawer shut and stomped back down stairs, third step be dammed at this point.

When Killian finally returned to his seat, he found Liam and Elsa bragging about some of his past accomplishments, much to his horror.

"I didn't know you came in first place at a state swimming competition during high school," Emma stated, clearly impressed as she stared up at him. "That's amazing."

Killian gaped at his brother and sister-in-law in disbelief as he shook his head. "I've been gone for five minutes."

"We still have his medals somewhere around," Elsa chimed happily as she continued on as if she hadn't heard him object.

Emma discreetly reached under the table and grabbed his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly as she nodded along to a story that Liam was now sharing. Killian instantly felt himself relax as he ran his thumb over her hand.

Once they'd finished their meal, Liam and Killian went about clearing the table as Elsa beckoned Emma and the kids into the living room.

Liam and Killian washed dishes in silence for a few minutes before his brother finally cleared his throat and spoke up. "She's amazing. A perfect fit with the family. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this one's a keeper, Killian."

Killian put a dried plate up in the cupboard, staring into the row of glassware to avoid his brother's gaze. "We haven't been dating that long, Liam. Don't get too excited."

Liam flicked water from the sink over to Killian to catch his attention, garnering him an annoyed glare from his brother. "How can I not?" Liam continued in a serious tone. "You should see yourself. You're, well, you're finally happy. She's just what you've needed."

Killian nodded curtly in response. "Aye, you're right."

"I'm always right, little brother," Liam jested before continuing. "I'll finish up in here. You better go run damage control. Elsa was flipping through the photo albums earlier, preparing for Emma's visit."

"Bloody hell," Killian groaned as he threw his drying rag down on the counter and rushed into the living room.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw Olivia and Noah in the corner picking through board games and Elsa and Emma sitting on the couch, thumbing through one of Elsa's many family albums. "Elsa, you swore!" he shouted as he stomped up to them.

Elsa's face darted up to look at him as she gave him a guilty smirk. "Yes, but my fingers were crossed behind my back. It's your own fault for not checking," she teased raised a challenging eyebrow at him and then went back to showing Emma pictures.

Emma stared up at him with a knowing smile as she patted the spot on the couch beside her, beckoning him to take a seat.

Killian stared down at the album now strewn across Emma's lap as Elsa flipped the pages and pointed out different pictures. He nearly died of shame when Emma giggled over a photo of him dressed as a cow for his fifth Halloween.

They flipped through the pages, and he watched silently as he aged before all their eyes. His baby pictures exchanged for school photos and family trips with the growing boys.

Emma pointed to one picture of the Joneses at the beach in excitement. "Is this your mother?" she asked as she pointed down to the woman whose arms were wrapped around a now seven-year-old Killian.

He frowned as he looked at the faded picture of the family—the last one taken of him with his parents and Liam all together. "Aye, she loved the sea," he remarked, a hint of sadness in his voice as he stared resentfully at the boat in the background of the image.

Elsa adeptly stole Emma's attention away with more pictures, telling stories she'd heard from Liam about Killian's youth. Finally, they reached the portion of the photo album that actually included Elsa.

"Where's Liam? Is he the one taking the picture?" Emma asked as she pointed to one picture of a much younger Elsa and Killian posing together at the bleachers of a baseball game.

Elsa smiled sweetly as she stared down at the picture and ran her finger along the edges. "No, right after we were married, Liam was assigned to a base in California for a few months to receive special training. I was devastated and horrified because I was left with a rambunctious sixteen-year-old to look after."

Killian laughed in response as he recalled his time with Elsa. The Jones brothers were lucky when she entered their lives.

"We made it work," she tacked on as she leaned forward and caught Killian's gaze, a twinkle in her eye.

He huffed in response. "Yeah, you taught me how to take jello shots," he scolded.

Elsa gasped in offence as she fired back, "Hey, I was twenty-five. I was a kid too, and I'm not entirely convinced it wasn't Anna who taught you that," Elsa argued before turning her attention to Emma and explaining, "Anna is my little sister. Killian had a huge crush on her when he was in high school."

Before he could argue back— _because he most certainly never had crush on Anna; she'd always been far too excitable for his taste_ — Liam barreled into the living room.

"They're not boring you, are they, Emma?" he teased as he observed the three sitting on the couch.

Emma smiled contently, facing Killian as she answered his brother. "Actually, this has been quite eye-opening."

Killian gulped at that, but before he could responded, the group was distracted by the squeals of Olivia and Noah who had plopped the game Operation on the coffee table.

Killian quickly leaned over to whisper in Emma's ear as he observed the kids already yanking off the cardboard top and pulling out the pieces. "We don't have to stay for games, love. I think you've had enough of the Joneses."

Emma pulled away and huffed at him in surprise. "Are you kidding? I'm a pro at Operation," she declared as she helped the kids set up the game.

He soon learned that she wasn't lying: Emma was not only great with kids, but she was apparently talented at their board games as well. She had already successfully garnered three organs to prove it. Unfortunately, this was also Emma's opportunity to learn that Killian was not as skilled with this particular game.

Killian licked his lips and furrowed his brow in concentration as he gripped the tweezers tightly in his hand and tried to plan out his move. Liam was rattling on, urging him to 'hurry up,' which his older brother only did because he knew it broke Killian's concentration. _Git._

Finally, he slowly went in to the snag the wishbone. Just as Killian clenched the tweezers around it and lifted, Liam shouted in his ear. Killian flinched in surprise, causing the tweezers to graze the board and sound off the buzzer.

"Bloody wanker," Killian yelled as tossed the tweezers down in defeat and punched his brother in the arm.

Liam jumped up and brushed his hands together in mock challenge. "You come into the kitchen, so I don't embarrass you in front of your _girlfriend_."

"Boys. Behave," Elsa bit out as she stared between the two. Liam let out a chuckle as he plopped back down. Once his wife had turned away, he reached over and put Killian into a headlock, tousling his hair before Killian was able to wiggle out of his arms.

Killian uttered a string of expletives under his breath as he fixed his hair and huffed in annoyance. He could feel his face turning bright red under Emma's playful stare.

He looked up to meet her gaze, but she quickly turned her back to him, a muffled giggle escaping.

Killian looked over to see Elsa giving Liam the death stare. _Good._ Unfortunately, his moment of reprieve was short-lived.

"Let's play Headbands instead," she insisted as she began to pack Operation away.

Killian's eyes widened in terror because that had to be the lamest game ever. _Bloody hell._ This was her way of punishing him too. Before he could object, Noah had run over with the box in hand. His nephew rushed up to him and crowned him with a card-holding headband.

He reached out to try and stop the boy, but his little nephew was too quick. Noah walked along and placed another headband atop Emma's head as he giddily explained the game. "This one's my favorite!" he squeaked. "We have to guess what card is on our foreheads."

Killian pursed his lips and frowned as he watched the rest of his family get crowned. He moped in defeat.

Even if Emma had brought Lady, there was no chance of him getting laid after this.

* * *

As soon as they returned to Killian's home, the two made a beeline to the couch and played a random movie on Netflix. It had become a ritual of sorts for them—cuddling on the couch with a movie playing in the background that neither was truly watching.

Killian held Emma tighter against his chest as he softly brushed his thumb along her arm. "So what did you think?" he asked, finally summoning the courage. Emma had been somewhat quiet in the truck after dinner, which worried him.

"You have a beautiful family," she answered with a contented, sleepy sigh as she snuggled against his chest. "I can't wait to spend more time with them."

Killian furrowed his eyebrows at that as he absentmindedly twirled a blonde curl between his fingers. "Really?"

Emma sat up, pulling away from his grasp to turn and face him. "Yes," she said with a firm nod. "I promised Elsa I'd teach her to play tennis, and I told Olivia I'd go to her next soccer game, so it looks like I'll be seeing more of you Joneses." She stared into his blue eyes for a moment before leaning forward to press a kiss against his lips.

They lay together on the couch for a while longer, and Killian reveled in the feel of Emma's heavy breath ghosting across his neck as she drifted in and out of consciousness. He knew he shouldn't, but he hoped she would fall asleep and lose track of the time, so she wouldn't have to leave him.

To his dismay, after a short catnap, Emma sat up on the couch and rubbed her sleep-filled eyes. She let out a yawn as she stood up and stretched. Killian reached forward to grab her arm, trying to force her back down. "Please, just stay, lass."

Emma pursed her lips in response. "I have work tomorrow, and so do _you_ ," she chastised.

Killian groaned in defeat because she was right. He had to be at work bright and early tomorrow, and he couldn't handle Liam teasing him over Emma if he was late.

Killian walked her to the door and stole another goodnight kiss before she left.

As Emma got to the front porch, she turned around to face him one last time. He noticed her face soften subtly as she stared back at him, a hint of seriousness in her eyes. "You look like your mom," Emma noted as she looked him up and down.

He crossed his arms over his chest and shifted on his feet. He could tell from the look in her eye where she was headed. "Aye," he answered shakily.

Emma's face fell as she bit her lip. "Killian," she began before lowering her voice and adding in a whisper, "did she drown?"

Killian stared down at his feet as a small smirk formed on his face. That's just what he got for dating a detective. He couldn't get anything past his clever Swan.

He cleared his throat and answered back hoarsely, "She was out on our boat with friends. They were all drinking and didn't notice at first when she fell overboard. The RAF swimmers tried to rescue her, but it was too late."

The two were quiet for a stretch. Killian still couldn't bring himself to meet Emma's gaze, and she seemed to be digesting the information.

"She would be proud of you," Emma finally stated.

They were quiet for another moment before Emma quickly lightened the conversation. "If you're not too tired after work, can we have another swimming lesson tomorrow? I know how to disable Kathryn's security camera, so we can have a little fun too."

Killian chuckled at that as he finally looked up to meet her stunning, green eyes. Blazes, she always knew what to say. "I can't wait," he answered quietly as he nodded back with a soft smile.

He leaned against the doorframe and watched as Emma finally turned to leave, not returning back inside until her car had left the driveway.

Killian lingered in entranceway for a moment, replaying his conversation with Emma in his mind. Swan had not only spent a casual evening as a member of the Jones family, but she managed to peer into his very soul too. He felt exposed and unnerved, but at the same time, he didn't mind all that much since it was Emma who'd been the one to peel back his layers.

He thought of the night he met Emma, snatching her lean body from beneath the waves and holding her against him as he swam through the rough waters. He wondered if she was the ocean's way of making amends for his mother.

Killian shook his head, pushing the thought from his mind. It was far too late to be entertaining such ideas, and he had to water his plants before bed.

* * *

 **I do hope you all liked this chapter. I had a lovely time writing more of the Jones family and also giving some more insight into Killian's past! Please leave a review, and let me know what you thought!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Again, you're all too kind to me. Thank you so much for your sweet reviews and words of encouragement!**

* * *

Emma locked her office door behind her and slumped down in her swivel chair with a grunt. Her shift wasn't even _close_ to being over, and she was already exhausted. She pulled her phone from its place in her pocket and frowned when she saw she had a voice message from Killian. Usually, if she didn't answer immediately, he would bombard her inbox with silly texts and knock knock jokes until she finally answered. She checked just in case, and, sure enough, no new texts from him.

Emma held the phone to her ear as she played the message aloud: _Emma, come over quick. It's an emergency._

She gasped at the clear worry in his voice and immediately dialed his number. She tapped her foot against the hardwood floor of her office as she listened on baited breath to the rings. Finally, she was met with his voice mail, eliciting a groan in response.

Emma grabbed her car keys from the desk drawer and raced out of her office. She yelled a quick explanation to Dave before running out of the building and hopping into her car.

She sped all the way to Cape Cod, zipping between cars on the highway and honking at others to move out of her way. Why hadn't he answered the phone? His shift had already ended, and he clearly called her from home. _He always answered when she called him at home._

When Emma finally reached his driveway, she threw her car into park and practically leapt from the vehicle. She took the steps up to his house two at a time before she pushed open his front door and rushed inside.

"Killian! Killian!" she called frantically as she ran through the hall and into the kitchen. Her heart beating sharply in her chest as she found the room empty.

"I'm in here, Swan," came a muffled voice, clearly echoing from the living room.

Emma paced into the living room and froze in the archway as she stared down at him. He was seated on the floor, staring up at her with his legs joined together, forming an enclosed circle. Emma furrowed her eyebrows as she noticed a small creature prancing around, contained within the borders of his legs.

Killian held his hand out, gesturing to the furry animal below and looking at her with a dumbfounded expression across his face.

Emma clenched her fists at her sides and ground her teeth together in anger. No, _absolute rage_.

" _A cat?_ That's your emergency! A cat!" she yelled in complete disbelief. "You stupid bastard; I _thought_ you were hurt," she fumed as she watched the kitten now move on to claw at Killian's socks.

Killian opened his mouth to explain, but was immediately silenced by the wave of Emma's hand. "I need a minute," she sneered as she spun around and stomped off to the bathroom.

Emma splashed cold water from the sink onto her face and took a moment to clear her head. She counted to ten, and then twenty, and then onto one hundred before she finally felt herself cool down. She wanted to punch that idiot right in the nose for scaring her like that, but she was also quite fond of his nose.

When Emma finally returned to the living room, her angry exterior softened as she watched, in great amusement, as Killian cautiously reached forward to _poke_ the energetic kitten. She cleared her throat to get his attention, causing him to stare up at her.

"Swan, lass, I'm truly sorry. My intention was not to alarm you. I just—" he paused and frowned down at the cat below. "I just don't know what to do with this little beast."

She gave a weak chuckle in response as she strolled through the archway and plopped down on the carpet beside him, reaching down to pet the adorable, tabby-colored kitten still prancing around in the circle made by Killian's legs.

"Why don't you start off by telling me how you ended up with this little guy or girl," Emma prompted.

Killian sighed as he leaned back on his arms and began his tale. "Do you recall the elderly lady I rescued a few weeks ago, the one who was boating with her son and his family?"

Emma racked her brain for a second. Killian had been kept quite busy this summer and had conducted many rescues. "You were with Will, right? The little boy was almost lost and—"

"Yes, that family," Killian interrupted as he continued his story. "Well, the lad's grandmother has been bringing us cookies and other treats as thanks since the rescue. Today though, she showed up with a box of _these_ ," he finished, a note of disgust clear in his voice.

Emma laughed at that as she bent down to pet the smooth fur of the playful kitten.

"Will said he was allergic, but I don't believe him," Killian huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

She bit her lip to stifle another giggle and picked up the cat. "Well is this a girl or a boy?" Emma asked as she pressed a kiss to the tip of its nose.

"A boy," Killian answered gruffly before turning to catch Emma nuzzling the kitten. "Swan, I don't want a cat. He's going to mess up my house and eat my plants," he groaned in defeat.

Emma rolled her eyes in response as she held the kitten in her arms and rocked him back and forth. "I'm pretty sure cats don't eat houseplants, Killian," she scolded.

He ignored her response and pressed on, "Can you help me find him a permanent home?"

"Why don't you want him? You adore Lady," Emma retorted as she placed the kitten down onto Killian's lap.

Killian grimaced in response and shifted, trying to shake the kitten off. "That's because I'm a dog person."

Emma jumped to her feet and stared down at Killian with her hands placed firmly on her hips. "Fine, I'll help you find a new owner, but we need to at least get a few supplies until then."

"I have tuna in the pantry," Killian answered immediately with a small shrug of his shoulders.

Emma glared at him in annoyance as he gulped nervously. After a minute of silence, Killian stood up and answered back in defeat, "I'll grab my keys."

She chirped happily as she plucked the kitten from the ground up into her arms and followed after Killian. "We'll bring him along too."

Killian grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter and turned around to face Emma, giving her a stern glance. "Don't get attached. I'm _not_ keeping him."

* * *

As soon as Killian put the truck in park, Emma swung open the car door and rushed into the pet store with the kitten held firmly in her arms. She had forgotten the initial excitement of adopting a new pet and was eager to buy some supplies for the little guy, even if Killian would only be keeping him for a few days.

"Swan," Killian called after her as he jogged to join her side. "Please, we're not getting much. I'm not keeping that cat," Killian insisted as he followed after her.

Emma turned down onto the aisle of cat supplies and immediately placed the little kitten on the top tier of a towering cat jungle gym. She chirped happily and hopped in place as she spun around to see Killian standing behind her, arms crossed over his chest in defiance.

"Emma, that eyesore is not going in my house," Killian scolded as he continued on and grabbed a cheap litter box off a shelf. "This is all we need."

Emma rescued her little friend from the heights of the gym and groaned at Killian. "You at least have to get him some toys," she insisted as she held the kitten up to the wall covered in toys and laughed as he swiped a paw at a small, stuffed bird.

Killian let out a sigh and walked over to place a kiss against the top of Emma's head. "You're too kind for your own good," he teased as he watched her play with the kitten.

Emma perked up, taking his words as a green light to grab some toys off the rack. Killian disappeared for a minute and returned with a basket in hand only to find with absolute _dread_ that Emma had plucked _more_ than a few toys off the shelf, along with cat treats, and a small scratching post.

Killian dropped the basket down beside her in disbelief as he observed all the items. "I am not getting all that. I'm only keeping the cat for a few days."

Emma frowned, her features briefly reminding him of his niece and nephew, as she moped and returned a few of the items she'd grabbed.

Eventually, Emma pulled a smaller jungle gym off the shelf and placed it on the ground. The two sat together and watched happily as the little guy pounced, scratched, and pranced about.

Killian had to admit, he loved the way Emma lit up while playing with the rascal. Not to mention, the cat was fun, and sometimes Killian got lonely in a large house with no one to keep him company. Still, he was _not_ keeping that cat.

* * *

Emma flinched back in her chair at the curt knock on her office door. She wiped at her sleepy eyes and stared back down at the paperwork that had been lulling her to sleep. She hopped up to answer the door, grateful for the distraction.

When Emma pulled the door open, her mouth fell slightly ajar at the sight of Killian standing before her.

"Hello, love," he rang as he stepped forward and pressed a kiss against her lips. They stayed together for perhaps a second or two too long, considering they were at her work, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

Once he pulled away, he smiled at her sweetly as he leaned against her doorframe. "I've come to take you to lunch," he announced.

Emma furrowed her brow and stared down at his arm, which was suspiciously held behind his back.

Killian followed her gaze and chuckled as he held out his arm, revealing a bouquet of tiger lilies held inside a small vase. "For you, to brighten up your rather dreary office," Killian teased as he made a show of looking over her shoulder and peeking at her rather drab workspace.

Emma's face reddened as she grabbed the flowers and walked back into her office to set them on her desk. "What's all this for—flowers, lunch?"

"Can't a man treat his girlfriend?" Killian retorted.

Emma narrowed her eyes at him, silently conveying that she knew something was up.

Killian sighed as he reached forward to place both of his arms on her shoulders. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you for being incredibly patient after I unnecessarily worried you the other day."

"Thank you," Emma intoned as she smiled down at her beautiful bouquet. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been surprised with flowers, if she'd ever been surprised with flowers for that matter.

Killian nodded curtly before shifting on his feet and clearing his throat. "I also wanted to perhaps _bribe_ you," Killian continued, a hint of nervousness clear in his voice.

Emma raised her eyebrow in response, her attention certainly piqued. "Bribe me?"

"Eric and Ariel have asked me to be baby Reed's godfather. I don't really want to attend the baptism alone, and I was wondering if—"

"I would love to go," Emma interrupted. "You don't need to bribe me, Killian."

Killian gave her a shy smile in return that didn't quite meet his eyes. "There's going to be a party afterwards. You'd meet everyone from work, so I understand if you feel like this is all a bit too soon."

"I want to go. I'm glad that you asked, and I'm excited to see Eric and Ariel again," Emma assured as she reached up to trace her thumb along the scar on the apple of his cheek.

Killian beamed down at her. "You're amazing," he marveled as he gazed down at her for a second. Then, he tugged at her hand, leading her towards the door. "Come on, let's eat."

Emma grabbed her purse and coat as the two headed out. Once they reached the corridor leading to the lobby, they came face to face with David and _Graham._

She froze in place, staring in complete horror at Graham and slight annoyance at David.

"Killian," David began cautiously, he still hadn't been entirely won over. "Good to see you," he noted before adding, "Where are you two headed?"

"We're just grabbing lunch. I'll be back in an hour," Emma replied curtly as she took a deep breath. She hadn't talked to Graham since their outing with David and Mary Margaret. This was not how she imagined their first post- _non_ -date encounter going. "Um, Graham this is Killian," Emma stuttered as she weakly gestured to Killian at her side. "Killian, this is Graham."

The four were plunged in a moment of deafening silence until finally Killian extended his hand out for Graham's. "Nice to meet you," he nodded politely as he shook the other man's hand.

"Likewise," Graham mumbled back as he shifted on his feet and looked over at David.

Poor David looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Well, we're just going—" he paused briefly, clearly trying to find some place to go. "We're just going over _here_ ," he answered nodding his head over to his office. "Enjoy your lunch."

"Nice to see you again, Emma," Graham called out as he followed Dave to his office.

The two walked in silence a few blocks until Killian abruptly stopped in front of a quaint diner, signaling that they had arrived at their destination.

Emma opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Killian held up his hand to stop her. "I read a review online that this place has some of the best grilled-cheese sandwiches in Boston."

She perked up at that and placed a peck against his cheek. "Someone brought his A-game today."

Killian rolled his tongue across his bottom lip, giving her a knowing look, before they were greeted by a hostess and escorted to their table.

He peeked over at her from over the top of his menu. "So that was Graham."

"Yes," Emma answered, staring down at the menu in her hand, even though she already knew what she was getting.

Killian cleared his throat and continued with a hint of smugness in his voice. "He's alright looking, not as dashing as me though."

" _Killian_ ," Emma warned.

"Mm?" he grunted as a way of response, waiting for her to continue.

Emma reached forward to grab his hand. "I'm not interested in Graham. Let's enjoy lunch."

His gaze fell from her eyes down to the table as he gave her a small nod of understanding.

Emma frowned at the look of uncertainty in his eye. How could someone be so self-assured and yet so insecure at the same time?

They chatted idly as their order was taken and then ultimately brought out to them. They exchanged work stories, Emma shared a few anecdotes from Lady's recent visit to the park, and Killian regaled her with his latest babysitting adventure.

During a lull in their conversation, as Emma was munching away on her _divine_ grilled cheese sandwich, she caught Killian staring at her chest, almost fixed in a trance.

Emma's mouth fell open in shock because even though he was a bit risqué at times, he wasn't normally this forward in public.

She gritted her teeth together in annoyance as she gave him a stern kick to the shin under the table.

Killian let out a hoarse groan. "Oi! What was that for, lass?"

"We're out in public. _Behave_ ," she commanded as she rolled her eyes.

Killian stared back at her, his eyes full of confusion before suddenly his previous actions seemed to click. "Oh… _Oh_ , Swan, no, I was looking at your necklace."

"Right," Emma grunted.

"No, I swear. I've seen you wear it before, but I hadn't paid much attention. You wear it often; does it have any significance?" he asked casually as he took a bite of his burger and licked a stray smudge of ketchup from the corner of his mouth.

Emma's face fell at his question as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat and clutched the cloth napkin in her lap. Her mind raced back to the day that Walsh had given her the necklace: a small swan encircled with emeralds hanging from a gold chain. She hadn't cared much for the piece at first—it was tad bit busy for her taste—but she'd grown attached to it over time.

Killian immediately put down his burger and sat up as he noticed her change in posture. "I'm sorry, love. I shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was only curious."

"No, it's alright," Emma answered with the wave of her hand as she shrugged her shoulders. "Walsh, my ex-fiancé, gave it to me."

"Oh," Killian mumbled as he knit his eyebrows in confusion. "Why do you still wear it?"

Emma took a swig of her water before staring out the window beside her and frowning. "As a reminder—so I won't let it happen again."

Killian frowned as he bit his lip. She could tell he was debating whether to push her further, but ultimately, he decided to go for it. "Walsh wasn't the only one though, right? There was that bloke in high school."

"Yes, _Neal_ ," Emma bit, a note of disgust clear in her voice.

"What happened with Neal?" Killian urged.

Emma put down her grilled cheese and took a deep breath as she began her tale. "We dated for a few months; he was a bit older than I was, and I fell head over heels. David saw right through him from the get-go and hated his guts. But I fell for all of his tricks, all of his smooth lines and practiced romantic gestures. Eventually, summer came, and he convinced me to take the money I'd been saving for college and run away with him to Tallahassee."

She paused and stared down at her plate, studying the random pattern of crumbles, unwilling to meet Killian's eyes, which were intent and worried as he listened to her story. Emma cleared her throat as she continued. "I woke up one morning, and he was gone, along with the $1,000 or so I'd spent years of waitressing saving up and hiding from my foster parents."

"Bloody hell, Swan," Killian interrupted as he let out an angry groan and rubbed his hands through his hair.

"I was left with nothing. He didn't even bother to pay for an extra night in the cheap motel we'd gotten, so I was kicked out. I was too embarrassed and ashamed to call David for help, not after alienating him for months. Eventually though, I broke down and called. He arrived the next day. He must have driven all night to get to Florida as soon as he could." Emma smiled at that. For years, there was always one person she could count on, one person who truly loved her, and that was David.

She glanced up to see Killian staring at her from across the table, waiting to hear what happened next. "Thankfully, my foster parents took me back. They didn't care much; they just wanted the checks they received for 'taking care of me,'" she explained bitterly as she thought of the wretched, corrupt couple who 'raised' her during her high school years. "Still, I didn't trust anyone for a long time after that, but then I decided to make an exception for Walsh, and look at how that ended."

They were immersed in silence after that, Emma bitter over her memories, Killian digesting what he'd just heard.

"Anyway, that's my necklace," Emma grumbled as she shrugged her shoulders.

Killian reached across the table and took her hand in his, giving it a tight, almost painful squeeze. He brushed his thumb soothingly over her knuckles as he knitted his eyebrows in thought. "Those dark days are behind you now. I'm sure of it."

She smiled at that. She appreciated his words, though she wasn't entirely convinced. The two continued their lunch quietly after that, both unsure of what to say next.

Emma felt badly for putting a damper on their date. Killian had brought her beautiful flowers and had taken her to get amazing grilled cheese, but maybe this was her giving him something in return—honesty, _a warning_. She's broken, and he need deserves to know that.

Emma knew she was taking a serious risk. Despite her past heartbreaks, despite the necklace she wore at all times as a reminder to stave off love, she was letting Killian get closer to her heart than she'd ever let someone before. She just hoped this new knowledge, this new revelation of just how broken she was, wouldn't scare him off. Neal was heartbreaking, Walsh was devastating, but a small voice told her that losing Killian would be unbearable.

She finished her grilled cheese, quietly immersed in thought, before the guilt became too much and she would do anything to ease the tension and see him smile again.

Emma cleared her throat and lowered her gaze to catch his attention. "On a brighter note, I found an owner for your cat. I hope he hasn't been driving you too crazy."

Killian froze in place, wiping his mouth with his napkin and scratching behind his ear, which looked redder than usual, Emma noted.

"Eh, yes, I've decided Peter should stay with me," Killian began as he fidgeted in place. "He's become accustomed to my house, and I already bought the supplies," he added for further explanation.

Emma huffed in amusement. "Peter?"

Killian nodded matter-of-factly. "Aye, that's his name."

Emma narrowed her gaze at him, completely suspicious. "When did you name him?"

Killian bit his lip and let out an embarrassed sigh. "Shortly after we returned from the pet store and you departed."

With that, Emma lost all self-control and burst into a fit of giggles. After all his macho, _don't get too attached, cute kittens don't impress me,_ behavior, he had fallen immediately after she'd left.

Killian grinned back and laughed at himself as he nodded along. "Here," Killian beckoned as he pressed on his phone and pulled up his pictures. "Flip through these."

Emma rolled her eyes and laughed in amusement at the hundred or so pictures of Peter now on Killian's phone, all thoughts of broken hearts and bitter exes gone.

Three days. It took all of three days for Killian to fall for that cat. _Idiot._

* * *

 **I hope you all liked this latest installment. I'd love to hear your thoughts on our newest furry character and the insights into Emma's past!**


	11. Chapter 11

Killian had texted her nonstop since their lunch date, insisting that she visit with Lady, so their "children" could get acquainted. He was also eager to have another adult sleepover, as this was the first time in weeks that he'd had the entire weekend off work.

Emma woke up early Saturday morning, packed a bag, and headed to Cape Cod with Lady in tow. When she arrived, she and Lady headed right into the house. She felt no need to knock after all this time, feeling well at home at Killian's place. She plopped her bag on the floor and held Lady tightly in her arms as she headed down the hall. Lady had only encountered cats twice before, both strays on their way to the park, and both encounters had been less than pleasant.

She entered the kitchen to find it empty, but did notice two silver bowls placed on a brown mat in the corner. Emma walked over to peek at the new cat food bowls and then gawked when she noticed the mat was adorned with cat paw prints and had the name 'Peter' stitched across the front.

Emma continued into the living room. Killian wasn't there either, but she preferred it that way as she needed a minute to reel over the new additions. In the corner of the room, adjacent to the fireplace, was a gigantic cat jungle gym. No, _mansion_. The _four_ -level, beige colored gym was nearly as tall as she was and included a bed, scratching post, ladder, tunnel, and hammock. _A freaking hammock._

She titled her head and noticed a small laundry basket filled with cat toys in the corner. Killian had owned that cat for a matter of days and had already lost all self-control.

Emma heard footsteps coming from the kitchen and spun around just in time to see Killian enter the living room, little Peter prancing around at his feet.

Before she could react, Lady leapt from her arms and immediately charged across the room towards the kitten. Emma cried out as she tried to grab ahold of her wayward pup, but to no avail.

Killian lunged down to scoop up Peter, but the little kitten took off before he could reach him.

Emma and Killian both yelled in horror as Lady backed Peter into a corner, both running up to try and break up the pets.

Small tufts of fur stood up on Peter's back as he hissed in defense at Lady who simply stood a foot away and stared curiously at the kitten.

"Wait," Emma ordered as she held her arm out to stop Killian before he intervened. "Let's see what they do."

The two waited on baited breath and watched as Lady inched forward and sniffed the kitten. Peter seemed to relax and swung a paw out to tap on Lady's snout before playfully pouncing on her.

"Well, it looks like they like each other," Emma noted with a sigh of relief as she smiled down and watched the two pets play. Well, Peter play and Lady stare at him in confusion.

Killian nodded in agreement as he practically _beamed_ down at his cat. "Thank God, I was worried they wouldn't get on and we'd have to breakup; after all, my son has to come first."

Emma's mouth fell open in shock at his comment. "Your son? Apologize to me _right now_ for all the times you've made fun of my love for Lady."

Killian held his hands up in protest. "Swan—"

" _Now_."

He chuckled and pursed his lips in response. "I'm sorry. Becoming a parent changes you," he admitted begrudgingly.

Emma rolled her eyes playfully as she leaned in for a kiss. "I see you've done some redecorating."

"Come, let me show you his place mat in the kitchen," Killian chimed as he grabbed Emma by the hand.

"I saw it when I got here. How in the world did you find one with 'Peter' on it?" Emma asked. She was still bewildered by the complete 180 he made when it came to _the cat he wasn't keeping_ in just a few days.

"I ordered it online," Killian explained casually as he paused in place and peeked down at Peter.

"It's here already," Emma noted with her eyebrow quirked.

Killian shuffled on his feet and looked away bashfully as he continued. "I paid a little extra for the speedy delivery. The upgraded cat mansion was also quite an investment, but really, it's all worth it for my boy."

Emma laughed as she placed a kiss on his cheek and ran her hand along his jawline. "You're something else, Killian Jones."

* * *

In the week since their 'adult sleepover,' Killian had brought Peter over to Emma's house, and the two were delighted that their pets truly did seem to get along. Mostly, Lady would lie on the floor and pout as Peter pounced on her, ran away, and then ran back up to pounce again. Emma gave her extra treats as a reward for her patience.

Emma arrived at Killian's house bright and early the following Sunday, without Lady, for the baptism of baby Reed. After much deliberation, and some help from Ruby, Emma settled on a conservative, but fun, mid-length lilac dress for the baptism and reception afterwards.

"Why aren't you dressed?" she demanded as she plopped her camera bag and clutch purse on the kitchen island and observed Killian's rumpled pajamas.

Killian took another bite of the toast he was munching on and shrugged his shoulders. "We have time."

"You're covered in cat hair; you've been playing with Peter all morning," Emma scolded as she yanked his plate away from him and took a bite from the remaining piece of toast. "Go put on a suit."

"I don't want to wear a suit," Killian objected.

Emma cocked an eyebrow in warning. "You're the godfather, Killian."

Killian opened his mouth to object, but decided against it. Instead, he simply nodded along in defeat and slid off his stool. He padded through the kitchen and headed upstairs to shower and change.

While she waited, Emma adjusted some of the settings on her camera and passed the time snapping a few photos of Peter scaling his cat mansion. Apparently Killian mentioned to Eric in passing that Emma practiced photography, prompting Eric to request that she take pictures at the ceremony. Emma beamed proudly at the snapshot on her camera. She'd manage to catch a perfect image of Peter pouncing in midair onto his scratching post. She'd have to frame it and surprise Killian.

He returned twenty minutes later, clean shaven and dressed in an impeccable, navy blue suit and sky blue tie.

"Thank you again for agreeing to go with me," Killian said, adjusting his cufflinks and he walked over to join her.

"Of course," she chimed as she leaned up to press a peck against his cheek.

Emma took a moment to visibly look him up and down and quirked a teasing eyebrow in his direction.

"Like what you see, Swan?" Killian asked as he ran his tongue along his teeth in a sinful gesture.

Emma gave him a devious smirk, which quickly turned to a fake frown as she looked over at the stove clock. "Look at the time. We'd better head over to the church now," Emma pouted mockingly as she stared at Killian, gauging his reaction.

"You're such a tease," he accused as he shook his head in disbelieve. "Besides, I'm a talented man; I think we have enough time," he continued, raising his eyebrows and sauntering closer to her.

Emma held a hand up to stop him in place, her tone turning more serious. "No way. I took forever getting my hair perfect." When she noticed him let out a disappointed huff, she felt a tad more sympathetic. " _Maybe_ I can call in sick tomorrow morning if you're good."

Killian stepped forward to close the space between them, pushing her back into the island and pinning her in place with his body. He leaned forward to nibble on her neck, having learned not to mess up her immaculate lipstick before an event, and gently rocked his hips into hers.

Emma moaned at the contact and bit her lip as she tried to keep her senses. They really didn't have the time, and she did spend thirty minutes perfecting her braid. She ran her hand through his hair and nibbled on his adorably pointy ear for a minute before she finally mustered the strength to stop him.

"Killian, I'm serious. We don't have the time. Afterwards, I promise," Emma whispered, her voice laced with disappointment.

Killian forced himself to pull away and sighed in defeat before smiling down at her and placing a quick peck against the tip of her nose. "Will you ever stop torturing me?"

" _Never_ ," Emma teased as she tugged on his arm. "Let's go, we'll be late."

* * *

Though he hadn't told anyone, not even Emma, Killian had been quite excited about the ceremony from the moment Eric asked him to stand as godfather. Even though it was more of a symbolic position, he'd been honored to be asked. Even more, this would be a great opportunity for Emma to meet his friends. Killian had met hers weeks ago and had met up with them for lunch and small get togethers a few times since then, but Emma still hadn't gotten to spend much time with his friends outside of shorts visits to the hangar.

Mostly, Killian looked forward to Emma and Tina getting the chance to talk. Ariel and Eric would love her and she them; after all, Ariel and Eric were two of the kindest people he knew. Tina though was a bit of a spitfire. In fact, Emma often reminded him of Tina, which meant they'd either get on quite well or butt heads completely. Killian was hoping for the first.

The christening went off without a hitch. Everyone arrived on time, dressed to the nines, and happily watched as little Reed was anointed by the priest. Killian repeated after the priest and held Reed during part of the ceremony as Emma discreetly snapped some pictures from the side.

Killian was quite pleased that his niece and nephew stayed quiet during the ceremony, likely duly threatened by Elsa beforehand. Even his newly-made godson behaved himself.

When the ceremony ended, most of the guests left to head to the party, while Emma and Killian stayed behind so she could take a few more pictures of the new family in the ornate church.

Once Emma had taken what she deemed were enough pictures the group parted ways for a short time until the reception at Eric and Ariel's place. When Killian slipped into the driver's seat of his truck, he looked over at Emma next to him, sorting through the pictures she'd taken on her camera.

"It was nice of you to agree to photograph the event for Eric and Ariel. I know they appreciate it, and I do too," he intoned as he reached across the center console and grabbed Emma's hand.

She stole her gaze away from the camera screen for a second to smile back at him. "Of course. My boyfriend is the godfather after all. I'm required to take an obnoxious amount of pictures. Look at this one," Emma insisted as she passed the camera over to him.

Killian grinned down proudly at the picture of him cradling little Reed in his arms. "That's a nice one, love."

Emma nodded in agreement as she continued, "You're holding him so well. You're a pro."

"I've had time to learn with Olivia and Noah," Killian insisted, never one to take a compliment.

"Do you want kids?" she blurted.

Killian's eyes widened at that as he passed the camera back to her and stared down at the steering wheel before him. "What?" he asked nervously. That wasn't a question he'd been expecting, but in all fairness, it had to come up eventually.

"I'm just curious. Do you see yourself having kids in the future?" After a moment's pause, Emma laughed nervously as she observed the somber expression on his face. "Hey, don't panic. That's not my way of telling you I have babies on the brain."

Killian nodded in understanding as he finally put the truck in drive and headed out of the church parking lot. "No, I know that, Swan. I, um, it came up in the past."

"With Milah?"

Killian sighed as he recalled a time years ago. "Yes," he answered as he drove through the busy streets on his way to Eric and Ariel's. "That was one of the driving factors of her leaving. I wanted kids; she didn't."

Out of the corner of his eye, Killian saw Emma nod along as she mulled over his tale. "What happened?"

He squeezed the steering wheel just a tad tighter as he took a deep breath. She'd opened scars, told him about her past heartbreaks; it was only fair that he do the same. Still, this was one time of his life he didn't want to rehash. He took a second breath to gather his courage before he was finally out with it.

"She got pregnant actually—unplanned. I was ecstatic. She tried to be happy, but I knew it was mostly forced. I convinced myself that when the baby came she would feel differently. We had the nursery decorated and everything," he explained, recalling the day he'd painted the walls yellow and spent four hours assembling a crib.

He bit his lip and yanked on his constricting seatbelt as he continued the story. "She had a miscarriage. I was devastated. She was relieved. Then she ended up leaving," he finished, gritting his teeth at the memory.

They were plummeted into a painful silence as Emma processed what she'd just heard. Killian scolded himself for putting a damper on what was supposed to be a fun and celebratory day.

"Killian, I'm," Emma began in a somewhat cracked voice. She paused for a second reached over to brush her hand along his leg as she continued, "I'm so sorry."

He stared at the road ahead and shrugged in response. "I think it worked out for the best."

They listened to the music playing quietly on the radio as Killian mulled over the question on the tip of his tongue. He was horrified at the possible answer, afraid of repeating the past, but it needed to be asked before they got too involved.

"Do you want kids?" Killian finally forced out in a hoarse whisper.

Emma was quiet for a second as she contemplated his question. "I think I would have one or two with the right person," she finally settled on as she gave him a knowing look before reaching over to turn up the radio.

He spent the rest of the car ride wondering if he was ' _right person_ ' material.

* * *

Once they found a place to park on the street, Emma and Killian exited his truck to head into the party. Before he got more than a few feet from the driver's door, Emma rushed around to meet him, wanting a moment before they entered the busy party.

Emma grabbed his hand in hers and lowered his voice as she stared up into his sparkling blue eyes. "Thank you for sharing that with me, Killian. It means a lot." He'd been through so much loss, so much pain in his life. Emma knew how hard that was and how difficult it was to share those memories with others. She didn't always tell him, but she knew he trusted her with that pain and that meant the world to her.

"No bother, Swan," Killian replied weakly as he looked down at his shoes.

Emma reached up to tilt his chin forward, forcing him to meet her gaze. Then she caressed his jawline and grinned as she continued. "Let's go have a great time, okay?" she insisted cheerfully. She wanted him to be happy and enjoy himself with his friends. "And," she added with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "then we can go home and have an even better time," she said as she licked her lips seductively.

Killian let out a heavy breath and smiled— a real smile that met his eyes, which quickly turned devious. "Perhaps, _if_ you behave," he chimed as he pursed his lips at her.

Emma rolled her eyes and laughed as she grabbed his hand and headed inside.

* * *

He felt better after their talk, but that came as no surprise. His Swan, his perfect Swan, always made him feel better. In fact, as soon as he entered Eric and Ariel's quaint, suburban home, his earlier excitement returned. They had been so busy at the church that Emma hadn't gotten the opportunity to meet his friends, so the first hour or so at the party was dedicated to proper introductions.

As he'd expected, Eric and Ariel showered Emma with praise and took to her immediately. They were grateful that she'd taken pictures of the christening and insisted they treat her and Killian to dinner out in thanks. Then Eric, being the bloody traitor he is, decided it would be fun for all, _but Killian_ , to regale Emma with a few embarrassing stories from Killian's rookie days. Emma didn't seem to appreciate that no one is perfect and that it is very easy to put a wetsuit on backwards when rushing out to a rescue. Killian pouted the entire time and stole Emma way from the couple as soon as he could.

He spotted Smeeson chatting with Robin and his wife, Regina, by the refreshment table and led Emma over to meet them (again).

"So, your name is Smeeson?" Emma asked as she took a sip of her punch and smiled at the group.

Killian's friend nodded along as he piped up nervously. "William Smeeson, actually, but everyone seems to have forgotten my first name."

The five laughed as Robin interjected. "Smeeson suits you!" he rang as he clapped him on the shoulder.

The group chatted for a while longer until they were joined by Tina. "Hi Emma. It's great to see you again," she chirped as she reached her hand out to shake Emma's.

To Killian's great pleasure, Emma and Tina chatted away for a long while after Smeeson, Robin, and Regina had all ventured off to mingle with other party goers. The three were only interrupted when Olivia and Noah seemed to become bored with the other children at the party and seek attention from Emma. Tina took her cue to run off and left Killian and Emma with his bustling niece and nephew.

Olivia insisted on recounting all the excruciatingly mundane details of a science experiment at school, which left Killian quite distracted until his nephew piped in with some horrific words.

"When are you and Uncle Killian going to have a baby like Reed?" Noah blurted out as he beamed up at Emma with his big, blue eyes.

Killian practically chocked on the drink he'd been sipping as he reeled over the comment. First they'd been talking about kids in the car and now his nephew was forcing the topic. The fact that Emma hadn't run ages ago was a bloody miracle.

Emma didn't seem fazed, or at least she hid it better than he did. She simply bent down so she was at Noah's eye level and smiled patiently at him. "We have our hands full with Lady and Peter right now. You like Uncle Killian's new kitten, don't you?" Emma asked. Noah nodded his head in agreement. "Why don't we go get some cookies?" she continued as she stood up and led him to the desserts.

She was bloody brilliant with children— so comfortable and natural around them. She'd make a wonderful mother someday. Killian froze in place and inwardly scolded himself. He shouldn't be entertaining those thoughts. They hadn't been dating long enough, and he was just setting himself up for heartache.

He only had a moment to himself before Liam walked over with an all too familiar tortuous gleam in his eye, one that his younger brother knew well.

"Little brother, you've got something on your ear," Liam teased as he reached up to brush at the shell of Killian's left ear. "What on Earth could that be?" he asked as he made a show of peering across the room at Emma.

Killian blushed as he remembered their earlier encounter. She must have left a touch of her signature red lipstick behind. Of course Liam, ever the observant _pratt_ , would notice.

He opened his mouth to counter, make up some sort of excuse, but was cut short. Liam tutted and wagged his finger in disapproval as he strolled away, likely off to plan his next attack.

Emma strolled over to join him after that. She brushed her hand over his forehead to fix his hair before turning her attention to his crooked tie. She gave him a teasing grin as she took the sky blue material in her hands and straightened it around his neck, and in that moment, that mundane, rather ordinary moment, Killian Jones realized something. With a glance at those emerald eyes and her sincere smile, he knew that he was undeniably in love with Emma Swan, and that he had been for a while now: _so much for protecting his heart and taking it slow._ Of course, he couldn't tell her, the skittish lass would hop right in her car and speed off, never to speak to him again.

No, he couldn't tell her how he felt. He couldn't tell her that he loved her more than he'd ever loved another person in his entire life. Instead, he simply pressed a tender kiss against her forehead and smiled as he gazed at the beautiful features of her face. He hoped, one day, she'd love him too.

* * *

Killian and Emma didn't get back to his house until later that evening. They mingled with his friends for hours and stayed after to help Eric and Ariel clean up after the party. As soon as they arrived at Killian's house, they ordered a pizza and crashed on the couch, eager to get off their feet and catch their second wind.

As she was enjoying her third slice, diets be damned, Killian cleared his throat and spoke. "Did you enjoy the reception, love?" he asked as he mindlessly flipped through the TV channels.

"I had a great time. Eric and Ariel are really sweet, and Reed is precious," Emma chimed with a smile as she licked some tomato sauce off her lip.

"What did you think of Tina?"

Emma gave him a knowing look in response. After Eric, Tina was probably his closest friend. "Actually, Tina and I seemed to hit it off. She invited us over to her place sometime for drinks."

Killian perked up at that and nodded in approval. "Good. I'm glad you two are getting along. I'm also glad _I_ was invited since Tina has a history of exaggerating the truth."

She chuckled mischievously as she continued. "Yeah, Tina promised me some great tales. You know, I think its saying something that all of your friends seem to have a stash of embarrassing, hilarious stories about _you_ to share," Emma noted with a teasing glint in her eye.

"Oi!" Killian objected as he shook his head in exaggeration. "They're all a bunch of liars, each one," he insisted.

Emma laughed and rolled her eyes and she turned to look at the clock. "It's pretty late, and I have work tomorrow," she noted, disappointment in her voice.

"Call in sick. Tell Dave you're not feeling well," Killian insisted as he reached over to grab her hand. "You promised," he added with a small pout.

Emma frowned and mulled over the idea. She called in 'sick' not long ago, and she knew she wasn't fooling David. Why did they have to live in different towns?

Killian edged towards her on the couch, getting her attention as he ran his hand along her thigh, inching dangerously high as he moved passed the hem of her dress. "Perhaps I can persuade you to stay?" he asked changing his tone entirely as he stared at her with darkened, lustful eyes.

She thought over it for just a second more before she'd made up her mind. _Screw it._ After years of devoting herself to the job and always putting work first, she'd earned some time for fun. "Mm, alright," Emma began with a devilish smirk. "I'll definitely need some convincing though," she insisted in a husky voice as she quirked at eyebrow at him.

Killian flashed a feral grin as he crawled over her, pushing her body down into the cushions with his own. He kissed a trail up from her neck to her jaw, finally stopping just a breath from her lips. He let out a dark chuckle as he whispered against her lips. "I guess I have all night then, and I plan to use every minute," he promised as he pressed forward to capture her lips in his.

* * *

 **As always, I hope you guys liked the latest chapter! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the update!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** **This chapter contains an M rated scene at the end.** Just like in chapter eight, this is the very last scene of the chapter (which begins with a mention of "pizza"), so that it can easily be skipped over by those who do not wish to read such content. Also, this will be the last M scene in S &R, so the remaining eight to ten chapters will stick with the overall T rating. Enjoy!

* * *

"So, you've been taking quite a few sick days lately," Dave observed as he took a sip of his soda and passed his bag of fries over the center console to Emma.

Emma accepted the fries, _bribe_ , and simply nodded as she munched away and observed the dark street before them. They'd been on this stakeout for hours, and from the looks of the quiet street, it would be a while before their work was done. They'd likely pull an all-nighter.

As the silence chipped away at her, she finally offered back, "It _is_ cold and flu season."

Even though she wasn't looking at him, Emma could practically feel David roll his eyes in response. "Emma, it doesn't take a detective to know you haven't actually been ill," he chided.

Emma finally turned her gaze from the scene briefly to look over at Dave. He was leaned back in the driver's seat, staring intently at the street before them, clearly racking his brain over how to broach the real subject at hand.

He was her closest friend, a brother really; they could talk about anything, but Emma's relationships had always been an awkward subject. David was far too protective, she was far too stubborn—it had always been a poor combination.

She took a deep breath and exhaled sharply as she answered. "I just finally have a reason to take sick days, okay?"

"Killian?" he offered immediately.

Emma shrugged in response before taking a sip of her own soft drink.

"How are things going with him?" David asked cautiously.

Emma let out a huff in response as she shook her head. "Do you really want to know?" she asked skeptically.

David turned to face her, his eyebrows furrowed and a frown spread across his face. "Of course I do," he murmured back, a note of hurt in his voice.

When she saw the clear sincerity in his eyes, Emma decided it would be alright to open up. In the past, she'd never wanted to share details about her relationships with him, and he'd never seemed all that interested either. Deep down though, they both knew Killian was different.

"Well, he got a new cat almost a month ago, and he's already lost his mind," Emma began with a chuckle. "He bought him a mansion-sized gym, personalized food dishes, a self-cleaning litter box— _the works_."

"The self-cleaning litter box is probably more a gift for Killian," David interrupted as he laughed along. If anyone could understand going overboard with excitement, it would be David. He'd gone all out on the boat, before the accident.

Emma smiled and relaxed as she continued. "He was chosen as godfather to his best friend's baby boy, so we went to the baptism together."

"Mary Margaret mentioned that. It went well?"

"It really did. I enjoyed meeting his friends. I've already met his family actually, and they're good people, very easy to get along with," Emma explained before adding confidently, "You'd _love_ his brother."

David nodded along, mulling over her words before he persisted. "You're getting serious then?"

Emma pursed her lips and stared out at the street before her, secretly hoping their target would suddenly appear and give her a reprieve. After a minute with no luck, she finally admitted. "I like him. I'm happy. That's all I know."

"I'm happy for you, Emma."

At that, she turned to face him and gave him a look of disbelief. "I thought you were rooting for Graham," she accused as she took another bite of fries.

"I'm rooting for _you_. Always. If Killian makes you happy, I'm his number one fan," David insisted.

"He'll like that," Emma noted with a smile as she reached across the aisle and grabbed David's hand, giving it a squeeze. "Thank you."

* * *

Killian chuckled in amusement when he returned to the living room to find Peter clawing at Liam's shirt as his older brother frowned down at the kitten. Killian plopped down on the couch beside them and pressed play on their chosen movie, a war film as usual, for their weekly brother's night. He tossed a beer over to Liam as they settled in for the film, but found it difficult to concentrate as Peter insisted on pouncing back and forth from his brother's lap to his own.

He smirked proudly when, after about an hour of the film, Liam finally seemed to warm to Peter and begrudgingly smiled down at the kitten. "You like him, admit it."

"I do not," Liam insisted as he rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the movie.

"He's your nephew. You have to like him. I like _my_ nephew," Killian retorted as he plucked Peter from Liam's lap and held him in his own.

Liam gaped back in shock as he chuckled in disbelief. "You've completely lost it. I mean, it's bad enough that you have a cat, but you also have a bloody picture of him on the mantle," he chided pointing to the new addition standing atop the fireplace.

"Now, Emma took that photo, and it's quite nice," Killian replied as he took a swig of his beer.

Liam nodded in agreement as both brothers went back to their beers and film.

"How's the lass doing?" Liam asked after a few minutes passed.

Killian shrugged, half listening as he mumbled back, "She's well. Quite busy with work." Really, leave it to Liam to start a serious conversation during his favorite part of the movie. _Wanker._ He does it on purpose.

"I haven't seen her in a while," Liam mentioned after a few moments of silence. "I've been meaning to thank her for attending Olivia's scrimmage last week. I know that meant the world to her."

Killian glanced over at his brother and sighed as he accepted the fact that they weren't going to pay attention to this film. At least they'd both seen it many, many times before. Besides, they needed to have the _Emma talk_ sooner or later. "You know, at first I thought she was going out of obligation, but she truly does enjoy the family. She was disappointed she couldn't go to the game this Saturday," Killian mentioned as he thought back on their time together over the past months. Emma's willingness to attend family dinners, soccer games, and more had both surprised Killian and elated him.

"The soccer game you mucked up," Liam jabbed with a smug grin as he sipped his beer.

"Oi! I said I was sorry," Killian defended before going back to the matter at hand. "Anyway, Emma's coming over on Friday to help me redecorate the upstairs bathroom. The wallpaper trimming needs to go."

At that, Liam sat up to pause the movie mid-battle, and turned to face Killian. "You're redecorating together?" he asked through furrowed brows.

"Aye, what of it?" Killian questioned with a shrug.

Liam pursed his lips and shook his head with a cocky glint in his eye. "Nothing. That's just very _settled_ of you two."

Killian gritted his teeth in annoyance because he knew _exactly_ what Liam was insinuating. They were just redecorating. It didn't mean anything more.

"Well, I like her. She fits in well with the Joneses, and she's good to you," Liam added as he flipped the movie back on and leaned back on the sofa. "Hold onto this one, little brother."

Killian nodded and muttered back, more to himself than Liam, "I certainly plan to."

* * *

When Friday finally rolled around, Emma couldn't contain her excitement. She was finally spending the night at Killian's after an entire week apart. Between her late night stealth missions with David, and Killian dealing with the peak of hurricane season along with the rise in boating accidents caused from it, they'd barely even had time to talk.

Her demeanor completely changed though when she finally arrived at Killian's and began their weekend activity of choice. Emma agreed to help redecorate his bathroom— the upstairs one with hideous wallpaper that always revolted her—with fun notions of painting and choosing new décor. She had _not_ envisioned the actual difficulty of removing many years old wallpaper from the top border of the _entire_ bathroom, which now felt larger than it ever had before.

What made her ordeal even worse was the mocking voice of David, with whom she'd shared her weekend plans, rattling around in the back of her head:

 _You're redecorating his bathroom? Emma, you don't even realize how serious it's gotten._

They weren't that serious. Really, they weren't. Yes, she spent time with his family, but that was unavoidable. They were a huge part of his life. Maybe she had a scratching post in her apartment, and maybe Killian kept dog treats at his house, but that was just because they were both devoted pet parents. Nothing more. And her helping with the bathroom remodel was completely self-serving: Emma had always loved decorating. She had redecorated her own bedroom a few times since living in the apartment.

"Need some water, love?" Killian asked, breaking her from her spell.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Emma grumbled as she glared down at him from her place atop the bathroom counter. She reached down and took a large gulp of water before handing back the bottle.

Killian handed her back the scraper and shook his head. "Swan, you jumped at the invitation."

"Yes, to pick out paint and a new shower curtain. I had no idea wallpaper was this tricky. Thank god you only have it along the top border," Emma retorted with an exhausted sigh.

"I promise I'll do most of the painting," Killian vowed with a twinge of guilt in his voice. "It's just easier for you to get up on the sink, since you're smaller."

" _Right_."

The two went back to work, Emma removing the wallpaper over the sink and Killian tackling the strip bordering above the shower. They passed the time catching up on their eventful weeks. Emma shared the details of her latest case, and Killian regaled her with an especially adventurous rescue mission.

What finally got her laughing was another of his Uncle Killian stories. Apparently, with both Elsa and Liam working last Saturday, it had been left to Killian to fulfill their obligation as snack-parent for Olivia's soccer game.

"No one told me you had to bring healthy food."

"Killian, you didn't."

"Who doesn't love doughnuts?"

When it came down to it _that_ was the real reason she was spending her Friday off work fighting a losing battle against wallpaper—she just couldn't deny that idiot anything.

After another bout of work, Emma let out a huff as she took a moment to rest. She plopped the scraper down on the bathroom sink and wiped a line of sweat from her brow as she addressed Killian. "I don't think this wallpaper was applied correctly."

"Why?" he asked cautiously.

Emma recalled the instructions they'd seen earlier as she continued. "The video online made removing this seem much easier. I wonder if the contractor used too much glue," she pondered as she took a sip of water.

Killian pursed his lips and fired back, " _I_ applied the wallpaper, lass, and I did a fine job."

"Oh god," Emma began with a groan. "This is going to take forever."

Thankfully, after another hour, the wallpaper and remaining glue were removed. After a coat of primer, a nap, and a coat of light green paint, their work was complete.

* * *

She insisted on pizza, lots of extra cheesy pizza, to sate her after what was an exhausting day. They spent their evening curled up on the sofa together, with Lady and Peter too, flipping channels and catching their second wind.

"Do I get a favor in exchange for my _grueling_ labor today?" Emma asked as she nuzzled against Killian's chest and beamed up at him playfully.

He chuckled in amusement before responding. "Naturally. Whatever you fancy."

"Kathryn and Jim's wedding is in a few weeks, and I want you to come," Emma announced with a hint of nervousness in her voice. "Kathryn wants you there too, and it will be a good opportunity for you to bond with David," she added quickly.

Killian pursed his lips together at her request. "Swan, of course I will attend the wedding. There's no need to waste a favor on that," he insisted. After a second, he continued in a far lighter tone, "Besides, I enjoy your friends… _and_ _open bars_. Choose something else."

She sighed in relief at his answer. Emma had been dreading asking him for days, fearing that attending a friend's wedding together was too big a step in their relationship. But, she should have known Killian would be ready and would be happy to support her. He never failed to make her feel entirely wanted and treasured.

Emma's thoughts quickly went back to her reward as her mind turned with ideas before landing on an especially _pleasurable_ one. "Well then, I think I deserve an _extra_ special thank you for today," Emma announced as she sat up in place and turned to address Killian, running her index finger along the curve of his chin as she smirked playfully at him.

He perked up at that, grinning as he reached over to run his hand along her thigh. "Aye, I couldn't agree more. What would you like?" he asked as he narrowed his gaze and licked his lips.

"I don't know if _Killian_ can properly reward me for my hard work," Emma answered back as she batted her eyelashes and twirled a stray curl that had fallen from her ponytail. "But, I think _Chief Petty Officer Jones_ might be up for the challenge," she explained as she looked up at him through hooded eyes.

Killian's hand froze mid-stroke on her thigh as his mouth fell slightly ajar. He licked his lips in anticipation and hopped to his feet as he chuckled in excitement. "You're bloody right about that, Swan," he declared as he practically tripped over the couch and ran towards the stairs.

"I'll be back in a flash," he called back as he stomped up them.

"Don't rush. I want that uniform immaculate before I peel it off your body," Emma shouted back in a sultry voice as she went about undoing her ponytail and shaking her curls loose. She giggled to herself when she heard him groan loudly at her comment.

She knew he _would_ rush so she quickly leapt from the couch and put Peter to bed in his cat _mansion_ and Lady in the dog bed beside it. She sauntered back over to the couch and divested herself of her paint-stained shirt and jeans, tossing them aside and laying out in her matching, lacey white bra and panties awaiting Killian's imminent return. _She may have had this reward in mind when she'd dressed that morning, not that she would ever admit it._

Right on time, Killian strolled up to the couch wearing a pair of aviators and his formal uniform, which she hadn't had the pleasure of admiring since their first date. She looked him up and down, taking in the sky blue dress shirt adorned with badges and the fitted navy slacks.

Killian reached up and flicked his aviators off dramatically, _idiot_ , as he made a show of gazing down at her. He swiped his tongue along his bottom lip and cocked an eyebrow in admiration. "You sure know how to dress to kill, _Detective_."

"I could say the same about you, _Officer Jones_ ," Emma fired back as she spread her legs slightly and leaned back on the couch. "Are you just going to gawk at me all night or are you going to do something?" Emma challenged as she stared back him.

Killian shook his head in response and let out a practically feral growl. He placed his aviators down on the coffee table, kicked off his dress shoes— _he'd been thorough_ —and slid on top of her. He immediately captured her lips in his.

Emma pulled away to catch her breath and raked her fingers through his thick, dark hair. He stared down at her admiringly and before he could come to his senses, Emma pressed her hands firmly against his shoulders and pushed him back until he fumbled to the other side of the couch. Then she crawled over on top of him, the very image of a lioness stalking her prey as she flipped their positions.

"I outrank you here, _Officer Jones_ ," she purred as she ran her hands along his uniformed chest and straddled his hips. She gave him a knowing smirk as she rubbed her pantie-clad core against his now prominent bulge.

Killian sucked in a pained breath and moaned in pleasure as he closed his eyes. "Bloody hell. Is this your reward or mine?"

"I think we can both have fun, can't we?" Emma asked as she leaned forward to nibble on his neck.

Killian sighed at the contact before gritting back, "You're a devious, wicked creature."

Emma pulled away from his neck and sat up at his comment, a sweet smile tugging at her lips. "Would you have me any other way?" she asked through batted eyelashes as she feigned innocence.

Killian flashed his teeth in response and chuckled darkly. "Never." He reached up to unhook her bra, adeptly removing the offending material with just one hand before running his hands up her legs, over her hips, along her smooth stomach, and finally stilling at her soft breasts before taking one in each hand.

Emma threw her head back in pleasure and moaned softly as he palmed at her breasts. She let out a cry of pain, and pleasure, when he pinched a nipple in his hand. He rose up to replace the offending fingers with his mouth as he ran his tongue soothingly over the reddened bud and placed open-mouthed kisses to her chest.

She yanked him up by his hair and immediately pulled him into a passionate, sloppy kiss. Emma continued to grind down against his hips causing Killian to hiss in pleasure. He pulled back to stare into her eyes darkly as he trailed a hand down from her chest, gliding against her taut stomach until he reached the edge of her panties. He slipped his fingers past the elastic band and down until he brushed against her aching clit. He pressed on and slid two fingers between her folds, eliciting a deep moan of pleasure from Emma.

He withdrew his fingers and waved them before her eyes as he shook his head. "My someone is certainly enjoying this uniform," he quipped wickedly before popping the digits in his mouth.

That was enough for her. No more playing. Emma pushed him back down by his shoulders and gave him a sly smirk as she reached down to unlatch his belt buckle. She couldn't bear to wait a moment longer: _she was absolutely on fire_. She slid the material out of the loops and tossed it behind her as she undid the zipper.

"Do you ha—" Emma began, but was interrupted before she could finish her thought.

Killian chuckled darkly as he reached into the breast pocket of his uniform and revealed a foil package. He tore off the corner with his teeth before handing it up to Emma with a wink. " _Semper Paratus_ ," he uttered as he licked his lips.

Emma rolled her eyes at his joke, but didn't remark, instead simply removing the contents of the small package. She pulled down his briefs and grabbed his throbbing cock in her hand, giving it a few pumps to get him ready. She rolled the condom down, smirking proudly as he groaned with pleasure.

Without wasting a minute, Emma stood up to kick off her panties before returning to her place on his hips and staring down at him with a devilish grin.

"I think I'm far overdressed, Swan, considering present company," Killian jested as he reached up to firmly grip her hips.

"My reward, my rules," Emma countered before placing herself over his cock. She lined herself up before slowly sinking down on him, taking on inch after delicious inch as she moaned throatily in pleasure. She paused for a second when he reached the hilt, biting her lip and taking a second to collect herself as she reveled in the feeling of being so, _so full_.

Killian broke her from her spell, bucking up with his hips gently to urge her on. Emma took her cue and began riding him at a steady pace, rising up and thrusting back down on his throbbing cock. She moaned at the delicious feel of his cock dragging against her walls as he urged her on with a litany of praises under his breath.

"Beautiful. Stunning in every way," Killian uttered with a moan as he thrust his hips up to meet hers.

Emma felt her head begin to swim with pleasure and her hips ache from Killian's tight hold on them. She'd have light bruises there in the morning— pleasant reminders of a night well spent. She bit her lip and closed her eyes as her entire body began to hum with pleasure. "Killian, I—" she began before her breath hitched in her throat a suddenly more vigorous thrust from Killian.

His movements became more erratic as he slid his hand from its place on her hip and began rubbing quick circles against her clit.

"Yes, just like that," Emma panted as she glanced down, meeting his gaze. His eyes seemed darker than usual with an absolutely wild glint in them, but still, there was a hint of something else, deep understanding and caring, that she simply wasn't ready to acknowledge.

Emma fell forward as she came, crying out _Killian, Killian, Killian_ as she shook against his chest. He followed right after, a breathy shout escaping his lips. As he stilled underneath her, he let out a satisfied sigh and held her tightly against him.

They lay like that, together, for a while, reveling in the comfort of each other after a long, lonely week apart.

Finally, Emma sat up and quirked an eyebrow at Killian beneath her. He flashed a knowing grin as he looked her up and down, taking in the gorgeous sight before him. "Not done with me yet?"

"I'm only getting started," Emma fired back with a sly wink before adding, "but, you were right. This is far too restricting," she noted as she ran her hands along his shirt. "I think we'd better get you out of this uniform before round two," she teased huskily as she bent down to capture his bottom lip in her teeth.

* * *

 **I do hope that you all enjoyed this update! We had some cute family moments between Emma/David and Killian/Liam. Not to mention this last scene. Let me know what you thought!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Here's another chapter featuring Killian's job as a rescue swimmer. However, this mission isn't going to go like the other two we've seen.**

* * *

 _Hurricane season._ Simultaneously Killian's least and most favorite time of year. He became a rescue swimmer because he wanted to save lives, and he couldn't deny the rush of adrenaline and true euphoria he felt when he pulled someone from the tumultuous sea waters and knew that he or she was alive thanks to him. Still, this time of year also meant longer, more strenuous hours on the job. He was also more tense and agitated, needing to stay alert at all times so he was ready to perform his next rescue without error.

 _Can I see you when you get off tonight?_

Killian frowned slightly when he glanced down at Emma's text. He hadn't gotten to see her much lately, and when he had seen her, he was far too exhausted from work to be of much use. He sent her a response as he absentmindedly drew a card and tossed a few chips onto the table: _I doubt I'll be much fun, lass. I'll likely crash when I get home._

Emma's response came immediately: _Well, I'll make you dinner then and keep Peter company while you sleep._

Killian smirked as he reread her message and glanced at the time on his phone. Only a couple more hours and then he would see her again.

"Ehem," Eric cleared his throat as he gave Killian a knowing look from across the table. "Can you text Emma after our game? I have a good hand here."

"I call," Killian announced skeptically as he tossed a few chips into the pile on the table. "What do you have?"

Eric puffed out his chest proudly before dropping his cards on the table. "Three aces."

Killian flashed him a wicked grin as he laughed. "Full house," he yelled as he revealed his hand and gathered up his newly won chips.

Eric grimaced and opened his mouth to argue, but was cut off by an announcement on the hangar bay loudspeaker summoning them to the chopper.

Killian and Eric exchanged knowing looks before they dropped their game and rushed into action. The two sprinted to the locker room and immediately changed into their dive gear.

With their flippers and masks in hand, Killian and Eric rushed to the helicopter pad to find Smeeson already seated with Tina and Robin awaiting them in the cockpit.

"Are we all ready?" Robin called from the front as he and Tina adjusted the controllers.

The three passengers nodded in unison. "Yeah, ready for takeoff," Eric answered.

Robin and Tina fiddled with the controls a moment longer before they set off in the air. Once they had flown for about ten minutes and were well out to sea, Tina turned around to address the swimmers.

"We have a married couple in their mid-fifties, thirty miles off coast. They sailed right into the damn hurricane. Thankfully, based on their coordinates, they appear to be at the edge of the storm. The helicopter will remain a safe distance away while you two swim the remainder to retrieve them. Any questions?" she asked curtly as her gaze darted back and forth between two.

Killian was already running through the details of the rescue as he asked, "How much time do we have?"

Tina thought for a moment before she responded, "The swim will take a few minutes. After that, you'll have about three to retrieve them."

Killian and Eric nodded solemnly as they went about readying the rest of their gear. Three minutes after a rough swim was not enough time. There wasn't a second to spare.

Killian slipped on his mask and was attaching his flippers as he turned his attention over to Eric. "Are you ready for this?" he asked, an edge of nervousness in his voice.

"If we pull this off, it'll be a miracle," Eric began wearily as he slipped on his wetsuit gloves and stared across the copter at Killian. "But, we've pulled off greater feats."

"As soon as we reach the boat, you grab the wife, I'll grab the husband, and we'll swim like mad for the helicopter," Killian instructed as he finished his final preparations.

Eric nodded as he slipped on his mask. "Agreed."

They encountered turbulence a few minutes later, signaling their imminent arrival at the rescue site. Tina turned around once they were within distance. "Alright, guys. This is as far as we can take you. Our lights are set on the boat, and it appears to be about 200 meters northwest.

At that, Killian and Eric rushed to the helicopter door, having no time to waste. They opened the latch and sat down on the ledge, observing the tumultuous waters below.

"Five minutes," Tina called, spurring them into action. With that, each dropped into the sea.

Once Killian was submerged into the waters, he was instantly filled with the energy he needed for the mission. Despite wearing a wetsuit, he was still livened by the chilly waters. As he kicked to the surface, he struggled to see clearly through the nearly pitch-black waters. Once he was above the water, he took a deep breath and searched until he laid eyes on the nearly submerged vessel before them.

Eric reached the surface just a moment later and the two began their swim to the boat ahead, which was illuminated by the helicopter's searchlights as Tina had promised.

They both kicked furiously as they fought to move through the water faster than the other. Over the years, their friendly competition earned them a few impressive and nearly miraculous saves, shaving minutes off their normal swim times.

The two reached the boat just seconds before it slipped beneath the icy ocean waters.

"We're rescue swimmers with the Coast Guard. We're here to get you out," Killian yelled, struggling to be heard over the howling storm winds.

As the two swimmers assessed their marks, they noted that the husband seemed to be alright. His wife though had blood staining her blonde hair and clutched her left arm against her chest.

"What's your name?" Eric asked as he stepped toward her and carefully examined the arm.

"Laurie. This is Frank," she mumbled back as she pointed to her husband with her free hand.

"Laurie, I think this arm is broken. I need you to use the other one to hold onto me as we swim back to the helicopter," he instructed.

The clearly horrified couple simply nodded along as Eric and Killian reached forward to grab each, helping them stay above the forceful waves.

Eric grabbed ahold of the Laurie and began the challenging swim back against the current and with another person to carry. Killian followed after with Frank in tow.

They kicked as fiercely as they could, trying with all their might to get back to the helicopter as quickly as possible and get the hell out of that storm's path. After what felt like the longest swim of his life, Killian and Eric finally got out of the path of the worst storm winds, allowing the helicopter to meet them.

They were illuminated by the searchlights as Smeeson leaned over the side of the helicopter and sent the basket down.

The winds tossed the basket back and forth as it made its descent, making it difficult for Eric and Killian to grab ahold. Killian only had one hand to use on the basket as he supported the now exhausted Frank up with the other.

After a minute of trying, Eric finally succeeded in grabbing ahold of the basket and steadying it before the group.

Eric helped Laurie into the basket first before turning around to nod down to Killian. "We'll hurry, just hold on," he urged before hopping into the basket and holding tightly onto the woman and cable as he gave Smeeson the signal to bring them up.

Killian watched as the pair was raised through the air. An especially strong gust of wind sent the basket swaying violently from side to side, nearly knocking Laurie back into the water below. Thankfully, Eric had a firm hold on her, keeping her safely inside.

After some difficulty, Smeeson finally grabbed ahold of Eric and his victim and was able to get the two safely aboard the copter. Alright, now it was his turn, Killian thought with relief as he struggled to keep the man at his side afloat.

As he looked up to see the basket being lowered down again, out of the corner of his eye, Killian saw a massive wave headed straight for them. He glanced back up at the basket and gulped when he noted that it wouldn't reach them in time to beat out the wave.

" _Do not panic_ ," Killian stressed as he addressed the already quite panicked man at his side, "but that wave is coming right for us. Take a deep breath and hold onto me. Once it passes, we'll get in the basket and this will all be over," he assured as he looked over to see Frank gawking at the wave before them.

Killian gave him a light shake to grab his attention before Frank finally turned to face him and nodded weakly in understanding.

With only a second before the wave hit, Killian took a deep breath of air and clutched the man at his side, his hold so firm and desperate he would probably leave a bruise. The wave practically threw the two men through the water as if they were weightless. Killian held Frank tightly and kicked to the surface. As soon as he made it above the waters though, another wave crashed into the two, submerging them in water again and ripping Killian's diving mask from his face and Frank right out of his grasp.

Killian gasped in shock beneath the surface, causing his nose and throat to fill with salt water. He reached around, blindly seeking his lost victim and his mask before kicking furiously to reach the surface.

Once there, he shook his head furiously and coughed as he tried to regain his breath and calm the burning of his throat and sinuses. He rubbed at his burning eyes and turned in circles, searching desperately around for the lost man. Killian's heart sank when he didn't see Frank anywhere.

Just then, Killian was distracted from his search by the sound of splashing just feet away from him. He flipped around to see that the helicopter had lowered down enough to allow Eric to jump back into the waters.

Eric retrieved the basket and then swam over to his still somewhat disoriented friend. "Killian, we have to go. The storm is getting worse and it's changed course."

"We... we," Killian began as he struggled to regain his breath. "We can't leave yet. When the wave hit, I lost Frank. We have to find him. We—"

Eric reached over and pulled Killian up by the shoulder. "Killian, there's no time. We're leaving now. Get in the basket."

"No!" Killian spat angrily as he tore out of Eric's grasp. "Leave and refuel then come back for me. I will have found him by then," he yelled, his voice full of desperation and panic.

"We can't do that, and you know it. We _both_ need to get to the helicopter and get his wife to safety. Killian," Eric began, lowering his voice and extending a hand out in comfort. "He's gone."

Killian glanced around, seeing nothing but raging waves surrounding them. He finally nodded curtly in defeat to Eric before the two climbed into the basket. Killian continued to stare down into the waters below, hoping and praying that by some miracle Frank found a shred of strength and was able to get himself back up to the surface.

Once the two boarded the helicopter, Killian peered over the edge of the open door one last time to check for any sign of the man. His heart sank when all he found was the empty ocean below. He trudged over to the furthest corner of the copter away from the others, staring down into his palms and replaying the mission over and over in his mind. The muffled cries of Laurie echoed in his head, piercing him like a dagger. He wanted nothing more than to cover his ears and drown out the sounds of her sobs, but he forced himself to listen. He deserved to hear them. _Every last one._

* * *

She thanked them, she actually thanked them for their efforts, _their bloody failure_ , once the helicopter had landed back at base and the crew was met with a medical team. As she was being carted off on a stretcher, Laurie extended her hand for Eric's and thanked him for rescuing her.

She then turned her attention to Killian and thanked him for his help too and for _'trying'_ to save her husband. He couldn't meet her gaze.

"Are you okay?" Eric called as he rushed after Killian as he stormed off to the locker room.

"What do you think?" Killian snapped back as he turned on his heel to face Eric.

Eric cast his eyes down and shook his head, "Honestly, I don't think we ever stood a chance. The fact that we saved one was a miracle."

"Well it wasn't good enough. I wasn't good enough. That woman is a widow now, and it's my fault," Killian forced out in a broken whisper as he sat down in defeat on the bench.

"No, listen, Killian, you—"

"Just leave me alone, Eric. Please," he begged with his head in his hands.

Eric grabbed his own belongings before quietly exiting the room, leaving Killian alone with his thoughts.

He stayed behind in the locker room for a while, showering and changing at a slow pace in hopes that by the time he was finished Liam would have gone home for the night. Alas, to his great disappointment, as he was slipping out to the parking lot, a familiar, booming voice called him back.

" _Chief_ , please report to my office," Liam commanded as he walked off to the back room.

Killian froze in place and grimaced at the order. Bloody buggering hell. He hated when Liam pulled rank, which was a frequent occurrence.

Once the two were inside the privacy of Liam's office, Killian leaned defiantly against the door and spit back. "Formal tonight, aren't we?"

"I knew _Killian_ would tell me to sod off and keep walking," Liam explained as he took a seat at his desk. "Are you okay?" he asked, already well aware of the answer.

"Fine," Killian offered with a shrug as he stared down at the discolored cement floor.

Liam frowned up at his brother. "I'm sorry, Killian."

He was not having _this_ conversation with Liam. All he wanted was to go home and throw himself into something, anything to make him forget this bloody night. "Do you need my statement on the accident, _Captain_?" he asked bitterly.

"No."

"Then I'm leaving. My shift is over," Killian hissed as he yanked open the office door.

Liam stood up and called after Killian as he headed out. "You can't save them all, Killian. You just can't."

" _I can try."_

* * *

When Killian pulled into his driveway, his heart sank at the sight of Emma's car beside his own. Bloody hell. He'd never texted her back, telling her not to come over. She was inside, making him dinner, expecting to have a nice evening together and all he wanted to do was crawl into his bed and never leave it again. He plopped his head against the steering wheel in groaned.

After a few minutes, Killian reluctantly forced himself out of the safety of his car and into the house. Upon entering, he was met with an appetizing aroma that he immediately recognized as Emma's parmesan chicken. His stomach tied in knots as he kicked off his shoes and padded into the kitchen to find dinner already on the table and Emma watering his plants.

She spun around and smiled brightly when she saw him standing in the entranceway to the kitchen. "Killian! I didn't hear back from you, but I figured I'd come make you dinner anyway. Parmesan chicken- your favorite," Emma chirped excitedly as she placed the pitcher of water down and strolled across the kitchen to press a peck against his lips.

He pulled away awkwardly and shuffled on his feet as he averted his gaze. "Listen, Emma, I," he began as he took a step back. "I appreciate all this, lass. Really, I do. But I just can't tonight."

"Are you okay? Did something happen?" Emma asked, her face scrunched in worry.

Killian rubbed his hands together as he tried to explain. He just wanted her gone, but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings, especially after she'd gone to all the trouble. "No, I'm fine, it's just. I just need my space," he mumbled.

"Oh, okay. You're right," Emma began in a somewhat shocked voice, though she did her best to keep her face neutral. She rushed over to start clearing the table as she quickly stammered out an apology. "I shouldn't have just come over. You told me you were tired, and I didn't listen. I'm sorry. I'll leave."

"Emma," Killian said, guilt washing over him as he watched her clean up the dinner she'd prepared him. He searched for the words to just explain to her why he needed her to leave, but he couldn't find them. Of all the people in his life, she was the one he simply couldn't let down. He'd told her over and over again that he'd always rescue her. The whole reason they met was because he saved her from the sea. Now, if she found out what happened— No, he just couldn't tell her. Not tonight at least. She wouldn't understand anyway, so he simply shook his head feebly and turned to head up the stairs.

After a minute, he heard her offer a quick goodbye to Peter downstairs before shutting the front door behind her. His heart fell when he heard her car zoom out of the driveway and down the street.

He'd failed to rescue a victim, and he just damaged the most important relationship he'd ever had— Killian was drinking a bottle of rum and going to bed before he ruined anything else that night.

* * *

 **What did you all think? I know this story has been super fluffy up to this point, and it will be fluffy after this for a few more chapters, but we're going to get into some real angst after that. This is just a taste.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I apologize for the delay in updating! I was on vacation this past week, so I didn't get a chance to post this chapter. For the remainder of the story, a week will not go by without an update! Thanks again for your patience and support!**

* * *

"Does Killian want steak or chicken at the reception dinner?"

Kathryn's question echoed in Emma's ears as her stomach churned. Her face fell as she glanced down at the napkin in her lap and shrugged. "I'm not sure if he's still going to the wedding," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

At that, all three of her dinner dates practically screeched in horror.

"What, why not?" Kathryn demanded as her jaw dropped.

Mary Margaret reached her hand across the table and grabbed Emma's. "Oh, no, I'm so sorry."

"Do I need to go kill him?" Ruby snarled as she stabbed her steak with her knife and clenched her teeth.

Emma sighed as she looked around the table at her friends. She knew they all had high hopes for Emma and Killian's relationship. If it didn't work out, it wouldn't just be heartache for Emma, she'd also be letting them down.

"He's been distant lately. I showed up at his house and made him dinner the other night, and he acted really strangely, saying he needed space," Emma recounted apprehensively. "I tried texting and calling him a few days after, but he hasn't replied." She paused to gather her courage before she finally revealed what had truly been bothering her since that night. "I think he's going to break up with me." Her voice cracked at the end, which she absolutely hated. She was stronger than this; she shouldn't be so invested, so hurt.

"Hope for the best, Emma," Mary Margaret urged as she gave her hand a firm squeeze and smiled at her. Emma tried to smile back, but it didn't meet her eyes. She just couldn't be as optimistic and hopeful as her friend.

Emma pushed the contents of her plate around with her fork idly as she continued, "Why else would he act like this?"

Kathryn cut in before the other two could answer, always the voice of reason. "Maybe there's another explanation. Just give him a chance," she pleaded, before sitting up in her chair and noting firmly, "He's given _you_ quite a few."

Emma frowned at her words. Kathryn was right. Killian had been nothing but patient, understanding, and supportive ever since he rescued her those months ago. She knew she owed him the same, but she couldn't shake her worries either. "I just think I pushed too hard—maybe I was too clingy, and now he doesn't want to be with me anymore," Emma mumbled back, completely dejected.

For the rest of the dinner, Kathryn, Mary Margaret, and Ruby urged Emma to stay positive while also brainstorming other possible explanations for Killian's odd behavior. Emma appreciated their efforts, and it did help to know that no matter what, she would always have her supportive friends by her side. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if the best relationship she'd ever had was slowly slipping from her grasp.

* * *

"Killian. Killian," rang a faded voice, but he couldn't quite figure out where it was coming from. "Killian!" it shouted, causing him to shoot up and glance around the room.

Killian rubbed at his tired eyes and yawned as he looked up at a visibly frustrated Liam.

"You're asleep on the couch at 6pm. Have you eaten at all today? Have you showered? Because it certainly doesn't look that way." Liam accused as he crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot angrily.

 _Why had he ever given Liam a key to the house? What had possessed him to make such an awful mistake?_ "I'm not working today, so bugger off," Killian hissed as he leaned back on the couch and defiantly snickered up at his brother.

"No, this has gone on long enough, little brother."

"Has it?" Killian snapped as he dramatically widened his gaze.

Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he finally cooled down. He softened his tone and gazed down at Killian, his eyes patient and understanding. "You're not a god, Killian. You can't save them all, but you tried, damn you tried. That's all you can do."

Killian quickly averted his gaze and ran his hands through his hair as he shifted uncomfortably. "I should have stayed behind to keep searching. I shouldn't have just given up," he countered, his voice breaking.

Liam walked over to take a seat next to Killian and glanced over at his distressed brother. "If you had stayed out there, you would have drowned in that bloody hurricane."

"Maybe I should have," Killian quavered. "At least I would have tried everything to save him."

Liam paused, before continuing wisely, "You know if you die trying to save one person, you won't be around to save ten people next week. What about all the people you could save in a year?"

Killian closed his eyes and held his head in his hands. Liam was right. He bloody hated that Liam was right. Still, it didn't ease the guilt that was weighing him down like an anchor.

After a moment, Liam cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Eric tells me he and Ariel invited you over for dinner this weekend. He thinks you've forgotten," he stated as he glanced down at his brother. "I _know_ you haven't."

"I don't feel like going," Killian insisted as he sat up and turned to face his brother.

Liam pursed his lips and continued, "A night with friends will do you some good. You can bring Emma along too."

At that, Killian was overcome with another wave of guilt. He stared down at his palms and shrugged as he muttered back, "I don't think she'll want to go with me."

Liam stiffened at his side and glared down suspiciously at Killian. "Why?"

"I haven't been returning her calls. I just don't know what to tell her."

Liam was quiet as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Killian gulped slightly and tensed at the sight. As a younger lad, the sight of Liam rubbing his temples always spelled misery for Killian. Years later, it still terrified him.

"Killian Bartholomew Jones," he began sternly as if he was scolding Olivia or Noah, "if you mess up the best relationship you've ever been in because of your blasted self-loathing, I will…I will," he furrowed his brow and scratched his chin, clearly lost in thought over _what_ exactly he would do to Killian.

He sighed and gave in because yet again he knew Liam was right. "You don't need to do anything. You're right; I'll call, Emma," Killian promised in somewhat defeated tone.

"Thank you."

"I just don't want to disappoint her," Killian explained.

Liam scooted closer to Killian on the couch and patted him on the shoulder. "You're not a disappointment to anyone. You risk your life every time you go out in that helicopter to save complete strangers. You're a hero, and I'm very proud to be your older brother."

With that, Liam gave him a firm smack on the back before rising from his seat and striding across the living room to leave.

"Liam," Killian called as he jumped up from the couch.

His brother turned around and stared back, waiting for Killian's reply. Killian shuffled on his feet and looked around the room, unsure of where to start. 'Thank you,' simply didn't suffice, but in situations like these, he was always at a loss for words, despite his diverse vocabulary.

Liam simply nodded and smiled back in understanding. "Give your lass a call, little brother," he urged patiently before heading out the home.

* * *

Emma showed up on his doorstep looking stunning in a black and white striped shirt with a black skirt, tights, and a large, red coat. He just stared at her in awe for a second. It had been over a week since he'd laid eyes on her, and he'd _almost_ forgotten just how bloody gorgeous she was.

"Swan," he mumbled nervously as he scratched his ear and took a deep breath. "Um, come in, lass," he began as he held the door open for her. "I'm almost ready," he offered as he yanked at the collar of his red plaid shirt and shuffled on his feet.

She didn't respond, she simply waltzed inside and placed her coat on the rack before eyeing Killian, waiting for him to address the elephant in the room.

"I appreciate you joining me tonight. You look lov—"

"Listen, Killian, is everything okay?" Emma blurted as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Everything's fine. I've just been swamped at work. Really overwhelmed, that's all," he insisted in a light, forced tone.

Emma frowned as she furrowed her brow. She clearly didn't believe him, but decided not to push the matter, for which he was grateful.

"Anyway," Killian started as he sauntered towards her, "I know I've been a poor excuse for a boyfriend this week, but I promise I'll make it up to you," he lulled in a husky voice as he closed the space between them and placed a tender kiss against her lips.

Emma moaned at the contact before wrapping her arms around him and pulling him closer. Killian ran his hand over her shirt and tangled it in her hair as he deepened the kiss. After a minute, Killian stopped their kiss and pressed his forehead against hers while the two caught their breath. He reveled in the feel of having his Swan back in his arms, perfectly content to stay like that together all night.

"That was a good start," Emma teased with a devilish smirk across her face, "but you still have some work to do, Killian Jones."

Killian chuckled in response before placing a peck against her forehead and rushing off to ready for their evening.

After their exchange, Killian's nerves for the night were instantly eased. He fed Peter and grabbed a bottle of wine before the two headed out for their night with friends.

When Eric answered the door with Ariel by his side and a bouncing baby Reed in her arms, Killian knew Liam had been right yet again—a nice night with friends was exactly what he needed.

"You look good," Eric appraised as he looked Killian up and down, clearly referring to his mood and manner instead of his attire. Thankfully, Emma didn't catch on, or at least, she chose not to comment. Instead, she gave Ariel a hug and fawned over Reed.

They were welcomed into the cozy, suburban home and immediately led into the living room by Ariel who was eager to show off her framed copies of the pictures Emma took at Reed's baptism. They were also forced to sit and scroll through hundreds of photos on Ariel's phone of little Reed while the proud parents regaled them with stories of his 'growth.'

Emma didn't appear to mind; in fact, she seemed to rather enjoy it, especially when Ariel handed Reed to her and she cuddled him in her arms. Killian found his mind wandering at the sight of his beautiful Swan with a dark haired, blue-eyed babe in her arms, but he quickly pushed those dangerous musings from his mind.

After they had seen more pictures of baby Reed than days the little fellow had been alive, Ariel excused herself to put him down for bed. When she arrived back downstairs with an extra pep in her step, Killian knew they were in trouble.

"Let's play a board game!" she squeaked as she clapped her hands together and smiled at the trio before her.

Killian grimaced in response. After some cajoling, _threatening_ , from Emma, he gave in and joined the group as they scanned over their options. "My vote goes to Trivial Pursuit," Killian announced once he spotted the game. _That_ was a game he actually enjoyed.

"We are _not_ playing Trivial Pursuit," Eric scolded as he rummaged through the closet to find another game.

"I won't even watch Jeopardy with him anymore," Emma chimed from behind the group, causing Eric and Ariel to giggle in response.

Killian huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest in defiance. "Bloody hell, I can't help that I'm knowledgeable."

"We could play Operation," Ariel teased as she gave Killian a light smack on the arm.

He knitted his eyebrows in response and turned to her with a questioning gaze. "How do you—"

"Elsa."

Killian gritted his teeth before firing back. "I think we should play _poker_ ," he suggested with a wicked gleam in his eye. Ariel had to be the worst poker player to ever play the game.

"Bluffing is hard," Ariel retorted in defense as she fought to remain stoic, but eventually let a giggle slip out.

After most of their board game selection was shot down by various members of the party, Ariel insisted that the couples engage in a team game of charades, much to Killian's dismay.

He had a feeling Emma would not soon let him forget miming a ballerina. Then again, he wouldn't let her live down not being able to guess bloody _Swan Lake_ of all clues.

The game was salvaged in part when he plucked a superior clue from the hat next, one that gave him a chance at redemption.

"Sunglasses! Motorcycle!" Emma shouted as she observed Killian's actions, her eyebrows knitted in deep confusion.

He shook his head 'no' before resuming his actions placing on a pair of sunglasses and racing along on his imaginary motorcycle. Emma simply stared at him blankly, completely lost. Really, he didn't know how she hadn't guessed this already.

"Oh, oh, I know!" Eric shouted in excitement from his seat beside Ariel.

Killian paused to turn and give Eric a nod of approval before he went back to waving his hands at Emma, encouraging her to keep guessing. After a few minutes of wrong guesses, causing them both to become frustrated, Killian simply turned to Eric in defeat.

"Top Gun!" Eric shouted proudly as Killian let out an exasperated sigh.

"See, Swan, it was obvious," Killian insisted as he waved to Eric.

Emma's mouth fell in disbelief as she scoffed at him. "Top Gun? Really? How is a motorcycle and sunglasses Top Gun?"

"I was being Maverick," Killian stated plainly. _Who doesn't know Maverick?_

"It was _clearly_ Maverick," Eric added, giving a nod of support to Killian.

Emma rolled her eyes in exasperation as she scolded them, "Alright, next round, I'm playing with Ariel," she announced as she hopped up from her spot on the couch and fished around in the hat for her clue.

Emma smiled to herself as she read it before turning her attention to Killian.

"A book. First word," Killian stated as he watched Emma's actions, determined to guess this one correctly so they wouldn't lose too badly.

At that, Emma began pantomiming the actions of cat: pretending to groom herself, scratch at things, and twitching her nose. The entire group was in stitches before Killian finally piped up, "Now, I don't even think I want to guess the answer to this one. I might just leave you up there like that," he teased wickedly as he rolled his tongue across his teeth.

Emma paused and placed her hands on her hips as she glared at him.

"You're a cat," Killian offered before frowning when he saw Emma wave her hand, ushering him to continue. "What? Um, a house cat?"

Emma shook her head and began pointing at him, raising her eyebrows for him to keep guessing.

"Why are you pointing to me? I'm not a cat," Killian huffed. After a second though, her clue finally made sense, "Oh, Peter!" he yelled. _A book. Peter?_

"Peter Pan!" he shouted in triumph as he leapt to his feet.

Emma clapped in excitement and placed a quick peck against his lips in celebration. "Finally, we got _one_ ," she whispered into his ear with relief as they cuddled on the couch and watched Eric and Ariel take their turns.

After they'd run through their clues, the results were in: Emma and Killian hadn't simply lost to Eric and Ariel, they were bloody decimated.

"We need to work on our charades technique," Emma murmured to him as they joined Eric and Ariel in the dining room.

" _Or_ ," Killian began as he held her chair out and gestured for Emma to sit, "we could just insist on couples Trivial Pursuit next time."

Dinner was delicious. Ariel made grilled salmon and the group spent a good deal of time talking about Emma's work and Ariel's newfound hobby sewing some of Reed's clothes, which explained why the little guy had been wearing socks that were gigantic and misshapen.

The conversation soon turned to the couples themselves. Eric and Ariel shared that between caring for baby Reed and Eric's busy schedule at work, they'd not had much time together, which prompted Emma to share their own struggles. "Killian's been so busy this week. We've barely even talked."

"I bet," Eric agreed as he took a bite of his fish and continued. "He's been a machine at work ever since what happened."

Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she asked, " _What happened?_ "

Eric and Ariel immediately ceased eating and stared at each other in horror from across the table. Killian cleared his throat and whispered in explanation, "It never came up in conversation."

After the shock wore away, Ariel pushed back her seat and announced cheerfully, "I made banana pudding for dessert! Emma, can you join me _in the kitchen_ and help me bring out the bowls?"

As she walked through the room, Emma eyed Killian, giving him that _'we'll talk about this later'_ look that filled him with dread.

Once their partners were in the other room, Eric crossed his arms and simply stared across the table at Killian, waiting for his friend to speak up. When he didn't, Eric finally stated, "She deserves the truth, Killian."

"I know," Killian admitted with a shrug as he stared down at the remainder of salmon and gulped.

Eric ran a hand through his hair as he frowned. "I'm sorry for outing you."

"Honestly, it's probably the shove I needed," Killian conceded with a sigh. "However, if I don't have a girlfriend tomorrow, I'll wring your neck," he threatened, only _slightly_ joking.

"Give her more credit than that."

"I just don't want to let her down," Killian mumbled as he idly picked at the food on his plate.

The two were quiet for a moment, neither knowing how to break the silence, before Eric finally offered up in a lighter tone, "Well, you just made an absolute fool of yourself during charades, and she's still here. I think that says something."

He made a good point. And, sure enough, Emma bloody proved Eric right during the remainder of the evening. She was charming throughout their dessert, complimenting Ariel on her pudding. She acted as though nothing at all had been said, for which Killian was grateful. Still, he knew an unpleasant conversation awaited him at home.

* * *

The car ride back to Killian's home was silent except for the background noise of the radio, which neither of them was listening to. Emma glanced over at him a few times to gage his reaction, only to find him clearly anxious. His shoulders were tense, he was fidgeting more than usual, and if he didn't stop it, he was going to scratch his ear right off his head.

Once they were back at his house, seated at his kitchen island and staring each other down, Emma finally broke the bitter silence. "So it seems like we need to have a talk."

A small frown tugged at Killian's lips as he sighed in response. "Aye, I suppose we do."

"What the hell is going on? You've been acting weird all week and now I hear some mysterious 'thing' happened," Emma demanded as she raised her voice. She'd been patient, very patient, with him for the past week. She deserved some answers.

"Emma, I," Killian began as he sat up on his bar stool and took a calming breath. "Eric and I were out on a mission last week, and I wasn't able to rescue my mark," he muttered, his voice faltering by the end as he refused to meet her gaze.

She furrowed her brow in confusion, not quite understanding what he was saying, as she whispered, "What?"

"There was a bad storm off the coast. A wave knocked the victim out of my hold before I could get him in the basket. By the time I was back to the surface, he was gone," he explained, his tone forced and broken.

Emma stared at him for a moment as she processed what she had heard. Then, her heart broke for Killian as she imagined the pain he'd been enduring all week. "Killian," she sighed as she slid off her stool and walked over to place her hand on his shoulders. She rubbed soothing circles over his shoulder and back as she intoned, "I'm so sorry."

He refused to look at her, instead choosing to take particular interest in the fridge across the room. He had a blank, yet shamed look on his face that made Emma realize why he'd been so distant and hurt: he blamed himself for the victim's death.

"It wasn't your fault; I know you always try your best," she insisted with a firm squeeze to his shoulders as she tried, but failed to catch his gaze.

Killian shook his head and let out a bitter huff. "Well, even so, it wasn't good enough. I tried to stay behind, keep looking for him, but we had to leave."

Emma was quiet as she began to put the pieces from the past week together. "This is why you've been pushing me away, isn't it?"

"Aye," he muttered before he furrowed his eyebrows in worry and turned to face her. "Why? What did you think?"

"I thought you were going to break up with me," Emma answered with a nervous huff.

"What?" Killian gasped. "Swan, no, of course not, I…you," he paused and took a breath as he shook his head and uttered out, "Love, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

He groaned and placed his head in his hands, his voice oozing defeat. "Bloody hell, I'm such an arse. I never meant to hurt you. I never want to hurt you. I just thought you'd see me differently."

Emma gave him a puzzled expression as she thought over his words. "Why would I see you differently?"

Killian sighed as she sat up to meet her eye. "Because I'm the one who's supposed to rescue you," he explained with a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes. "That's how we met. That's what I've always promised."

Her mouth fell slightly in disbelief as she shook her head and took his hand in her own. "I'm not dating you because I need a human life preserver 24/7, Killian. I'm dating you because I care about you— because you make me happy," she assured as she brushed her hand against his cheek, tracing the light scar that ran across it.

"Just," Emma swallowed nervously before whispering in an unsure tone, "Please don't shut me out again."

"I won't. I swear. I will never shut you out— I will never hurt you again," Killian promised as he rose from his stool and pressed her against the counter, capturing her lips in his own. She tried to quicken the kiss, threading her hands through his raven hair and pulling him toward her, but Killian kept it slow, languid—an apology and a promise all at once.

Eventually though, she won out; their slow, loving kisses turning hot and needy as Killian gave her _that_ look. He lifted her up by the waist, as Emma wrapped her legs around his hips, and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom where he continued to apologize properly until he had earned her full forgiveness.

After a few hours passed, _the fastest few hours of her life_ , Emma forced herself from his warm embrace and slipped out of the confines of his satin sheets. She began pulling on her garments quietly as she tried, and failed, not to wake him.

"Stay, please," Killian begged as he sat up in bed and looked at her with a tired, sad expression.

"I can't," Emma mumbled as she slipped on her tights. She _wanted_ to stay, especially after a week apart, but she had to get back home. "I'm running errands all day tomorrow with Kathryn. _Perks_ of being the maid of honor," she joked as she pulled on her skirt and gave him an apologetic smile.

Killian groaned dramatically as he hopped from his bed and threw his pants on before escorting Emma downstairs.

Once they reached the foot of the stairs, he pulled her into a tight embrace, nuzzling his nose into her neck and pressing a light kiss against her shoulder. Emma pulled away and pressed a last peck against his lips before slipping on her shoes and grabbing her coat.

"Oh, and Killian," she called as she paused before the door and turned back to face him.

"Yes, love?"

"Do you want steak or chicken at Kathryn's wedding reception?"

Killian's eyes widened in surprise at her question, "I'm still invited despite my poor behavior?"

"A week isn't enough time to find a new date," Emma teased before adding sincerely, "Besides, I wouldn't go with anyone else."

Killian nodded and smiled back. "Steak."

Emma stayed in the doorway, Killian's words from earlier, _'I tried to stay behind,'_ echoing in her mind. "Killian, please be careful at work. If something happened to you, I—" Emma paused and bit her lip as she struggled for the right words. "Well, just be careful."

Killian stared into her eyes for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and answering. "Aye, love, of course."

Emma nodded back and turned to leave, his words doing nothing to shake the uneasiness from her gut.

* * *

 **The next three chapters (15, 16, 17) are going to be more on the fluffy side again (until we get to 18...). I am so excited for you all to read them! Each contains some important revelations and moments in Killian and Emma's relationship!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I've seen that quite a few of you are worried about chapter 18. Please don't be! My intention in posting that warning was not to create a panic. S &R has been _so_ fluffy for _so_ long that I felt it was only fair to let you guys know it won't be that way forever. That being said, any angst that occurs isn't for the sake of angst itself, but to further the storyline and get us to a fluffy, sugary-sweet, happy ending! I promise! **

**Until then, please enjoy chapter fifteen. This is one of my personal favorites!**

* * *

After over a year of planning, the day had finally arrived for Kathryn's wedding. Emma was absolutely over the moon. Kathryn was one of her oldest and closest friends, and Emma had seen her go through much heartache. After dating all through high school, Kathryn took her breakup with David hard, but still, she never resented him. Then, when David and Mary Margaret began seeing each other, despite the initial awkwardness, Kathryn gave them her blessing and was ever the supportive friend. Later, she even arranged to have their wedding reception at one of the large convention centers in her father's corporate offices.

Now, it was finally Kathryn's turn at a chance for happiness with Jim. Of course, in the midst of celebrating their union, as the maid-of-honor, Emma also had the stress of making sure everything went off without a hitch and that Kathryn's day was perfect.

As Emma hurried to collect her bridesmaid's gown from her closet and her make-up from the bathroom, Killian knocked on her bedroom door.

"Swan," he announced as he walked in to find her scurrying around. "I got you something for the ceremony."

Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before he silently answered her question by raising his hand up to reveal a small package of pocket tissues.

"Really?" Emma asked in exasperation as she briefly stopped her packing and turned to face him.

"Weddings are emotional, and she's your best friend. You'll thank me," he declared confidently as he tossed the tissues on her bed and headed for the door.

Emma quirked her eyebrow as a sly smile spread across her face. "Did you cry at Liam and Elsa's wedding?"

"I'm hopping in the shower. See you at the church, love."

Emma giggled and rolled her eyes as she went back to her task. Once she had her things gathered, she kissed Lady goodbye, _and Peter too_ , before rushing off to Kathryn's house.

When she arrived, Emma found the home already bustling with excited bridesmaids. Ruby was tending to the dress while Mary Margaret and two of Kathryn's cousins fussed over her hair and make-up.

"Emma!" Kathryn cried in happiness as she practically leapt from her chair and enveloped Emma in a tight hug. "You're here," she announced in relief against her friend's ear.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I was—"

Before Emma even needed to offer a made-up excuse for oversleeping, Kathryn grabbed her by the hand and offered to the group, "We'll be right back," as she led her friend out into the hall.

Once the two were alone in the hall, Emma furrowed her brows in worry. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, just wedding day jitters. Those are normal though," Kathryn rattled with a nervous sigh. "Right? They _are_ normal?" she questioned, a tone of desperation in her voice.

Emma gave her a patient smile before grabbing her friend's hand. "Of course. You have nothing to worry about. The ceremony will be beautiful, and you're going to be incredibly happy with Jim," Emma assured.

"You're right. You're right," Kathryn agreed as she repeated the phrase, more to herself than Emma. "Are you sure?"

Emma let out a small, but understanding laugh at her friend's ridiculous nerves. "Kathryn's you've been dating for _ages_. If you were going to split, it would have happened by now," Emma insisted confidently.

Kathryn was quiet for a second before she nodded back in agreement. "Thank you, Emma. I guess I just needed my best friend."

"I'm not going anywhere," Emma promised.

At that, Kathryn visibly relaxed as her shoulders fell and she laughed. She pulled Emma into another hug. "You're amazing. I can't wait until we're doing this for you."

"Well, we'll see," Emma began skeptically as she pulled out of their embrace. "Let's focus on the wedding of the day."

Once Kathryn and all the bridesmaids were made-up and in their gowns for the evening, _and Emma had taken her fill of pictures of the group_ , they took a limo over to the church.

As they settled in the back of the church to make sure Kathryn looked flawless and await the start of the ceremony, Emma slipped out to snap some more photos and see that Killian had arrived. She found him standing at the start of the long aisle staring out at the lavish church with his mouth agape. She laughed at his stupefied expression as she walked up to join him.

"I see you, David, and Victor found it here okay," Emma reported as she looked him up and down, thoroughly appreciating his dark gray suit.

Killian didn't notice her wandering eyes or he surely would have followed up with a smug comment and an obscene gesture with his tongue. Instead, he simply stared up at the massive church organ, never meeting her gaze. "Emma, you said she was getting married in a _church_."

"Yes?"

"This is massive; it's a _cathedral_ ," Killian observed in awe as he waved his hands in the air to gesture at the ornate space. "How big is this wedding going to be?"

Emma pursed her lips as she ran over the wedding details in her mind. "Kathryn originally planned a small affair, but her father has money and she's his only child. Things just sprawled out of hand."

"You do know that the military doesn't pay all that well and divorce is essentially financial ruin, right?" he asked somewhat nervously as he reached up to scratch behind his ear.

"I never said _I_ wanted a cathedral wedding or the life that comes with it," Emma retorted without hesitation.

Killian nodded, his face showing that he was still unconvinced before he quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, you look absolutely marvelous in that dress, Swan."

She beamed at his compliment. She wasn't always one to accept a nicety, but in this case, she would make an exception. She helped Kathryn settle on this particular design for the bridesmaids: golden-colored, strapless, full-length gowns.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Jones. You clean up well," Emma teased before placing a quick peck against his lips. "I'm going to go take some more pictures before the ceremony. I'll see you after," Emma called back as she headed down the aisle. She went about taking pictures of the cathedral as it filled with guests before she headed to the back to snap some final shots of Kathryn and the bridesmaids.

As for the ceremony, Emma was quite proud of herself. She held up well as she watched her friend walk down the aisle with her father, looking absolutely radiant in her wedding gown. Emma even kept a straight face when she noticed Jim tear up at the site of his soon-to-be wife.

What did her in were those damn vows; Kathryn and Jim had elected to write their own, and their exchange of loving words was the emotional straw that caused the tears that had been pricking at her eyes since that morning to finally burst through.

As Emma was inwardly scolding herself for ruining her make-up, she remembered that she'd tucked those tissues Killian gave her discreetly into the side of her bridesmaid bouquet. Emma plucked a tissue from the packet and dabbed at her eyes before she glanced over to see the rest of the bridesmaids welling up too. She passed a few tissues down to everyone before giving the remainder of the packet to Mary Margaret who, true to form, needed them most.

Emma peeked out at the guests to see Killian sitting between David and Victor with a knowing smirk on his face. They locked eyes briefly as he gave her a smug wink. _Idiot._

* * *

Killian rather enjoyed the ceremony. Emma was a bloody vision in that gown, which was a true godsend, and he also got to spend some time with David and Victor. Once the ceremony had concluded, Emma and the rest of the wedding party went off for a photo session, leaving the guys on their own for a few hours. Naturally, they decided to hit the Country Club early and venture into the well-stocked, ritzy bar.

Victor stuck around for a while, regaling them with some gruesome emergency room stories as they downed a few shots. Soon though, he grew restless and decided to venture around the grounds, mumbling something about 'unattended golf carts' as he slipped out.

As he took a sip of his rum and tried to avoid catching David's gaze, Killian realized that this was the first time they'd ever been alone together. He'd spent time with Dave before, but it was always at group dinners or the occasional double date with Mary Margaret and Emma. He knew how much David meant to Emma—how devoted David had always been to her. In a way, Killian owed Dave for being there for Emma all these years. All he wanted was for David to approve of him, to deem Killian worthy enough of Emma's affection.

The two were silent for a while before David finally broke the ice, and soon, Killian found himself much more relaxed. When David wasn't trying to appear the tough, overprotective brotherly figure in front of the others, he was actually quite easy to get on with. They chatted about sports for a long while, both fans of the Red Sox. They then turned their conversation toward work with Killian sharing a few tales of his latest rescues and Dave giving details about a few cases he was investigating. Killian was most happy though to hear David's stories of Emma's greatest feats on the job, mainly tales of Emma's heroics and cunning that his humble lass would never share herself.

Soon though, as they ran out of topics to talk about and they both grew more courageous by the drink, the subject inevitably arrived at Emma and Killian.

"You know, it's hard for me when Emma gets a new guy," David started with a sigh as he sipped on his beer. "She's been through tough times, too many, and I just can't bear to see her hurt again. There was that loser in high school that really left a mark, then that ass, Walsh—cheating right before the wedding," David gritted his teeth and took a generous sip before he licked his lips and turned to face Killian.

Killian's face fell as he thought of Emma's past. She'd told him before about her heartbreaks, about her tough days in the foster system. Her past was riddled with painful memories of abandonment and betrayal. He wanted nothing more than for her to have a happy, loving future.

The sound of David's voice broke Killian from his thoughts, as David continued his spiel in a lighter tone. "One day, when you've gotten too close for comfort, she's going to push you away. When that happens, I hope you chase after her, I really do, because you're different."

With that, David finished his beer, leaving Killian to stare at him with a stunned expression on his face. _That_ he had not expected to hear from Dave, but his words of approval and encouragement made Killian feel even more right, even more confident about Emma.

"I always will, Dave. You can count on it. I _lov_ —I truly care for Emma," Killian insisted as he quickly continued. "And I've no intention of letting her go," he promised solemnly as he nodded back. He'd go the ends of the world for his Swan, no question.

David raised an eyebrow at Killian's slip, but chose to ignore it. Simply, smiling and clapping him hard on the back in response, "Cheers to that."

* * *

Emma didn't get a chance to speak with Killian until the reception, as the bridal party was whisked away for pictures soon after the ceremony. She was scolded by the photographers multiple times for getting out of the group to snap her own photos, but really, her best friends were dressed in gorgeous gowns and outside among the beautiful autumn leaves; she could not pass up the opportunity to take at least a few of her own pictures.

Once they arrived at the Country Club where the reception was being held, Emma found Killian with David at the bar. They seemed a lot more 'chummy' than they'd ever been before, but then again, they both had clearly been drinking.

Killian lit up at the sight of her and began running his hand along her hip as he slurred, "Emma, I invited David and Mary Margaret over for dinner tomorrow night, so they can meet Peter. Did you know Dave used to volunteer at an animal shelter? And Mary Margaret won't even let him have a pet. Tragic."

Emma glared down at him as she observed his reddened cheeks and goofy smile. That bastard got drunk, and by the sounds of David's giggles, he had too.

Before she could scold them, the trio was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. Emma turned around to see two security officers walking towards them with Victor held firmly between them.

They placed him down on a barstool, while a particularly menacing one wagged a finger in his direction. "We'll be watching you," he warned before the two officers turned to leave.

"What the hell?" Emma demanded as she stared down at a clearly disheveled Victor.

He reached up to brush his hand through his hair, flicking a few leaves out of his shaggy blond mane before he turned sheepishly to Emma. "Don't ask, Em."

Emma watched him like a hawk for the rest of the evening. She made him, David, and Killian all drink water for the next hour, so they'd be sober _(enough)_ in time for dinner.

The group all sat together at the bridal party table and laughed for the better part of an hour as they munched on the absolutely divine dinner prepared by one of Boston's most famous chefs. Emma's seat, right beside Kathryn's, was at the very front of the large banquet hall, allowing her the perfect view of all the guests in attendance. Somehow, she'd been so focused on Kathryn and Jim during the ceremony that she hadn't noticed just how overwhelmingly large this wedding had been. They must have invited half the city to the grand affair.

Once dinner was coming to an end, the time had arrived for speeches. Emma's stomach was in knots as she clutched her notecard in her trembling hand and took a steadying breath. She could barely concentrate during Kathryn's father's eloquent speech due to her nerves.

She was momentarily pulled from her panicky state by the feel of Killian caressing her thigh and leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Emma, love, don't be nervous. Your speech is beautiful and has just the right touch of humor," Killian assured as he grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

Emma let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and smiled up at him. He'd been a real trooper last night as he listened to five different versions of her maid-of-honor speech and helped her morph them all into this final one.

Before long, Kathryn's father handed her the microphone and gave her a confident nod as Emma realized _with horror_ that her turn had arrived. She stood up and clutched the mic in her hand, well aware that she'd be heard by hundreds of attendees. Still, she kept her gaze focused on Kathryn and Jim as she recited the speech she'd prepared. She got quite a few laughs with her employee of _every_ month joke, and she'd only gotten teary towards the end, which was entirely Kathryn's fault for crying first.

Jim's little brother was up next with the best man's speech and with her own speech finished, Emma could actually enjoy it. She was able to relax and lean against Killian's shoulder as she laughed along with the rest of the audience while Jim's brother gave him the ribbing of a lifetime.

Once the speeches were over, Kathryn and Jim shared their first dance to the cheers of those in attendance. After a few minutes, other guests began joining the couple on the dance floor. Emma blushed as she felt Killian's gaze turn to her because she _knew_ what was coming.

"Will you do me the honor, Swan?" Killian asked as he stood up and offered his hand.

Emma glanced up at him with an apologetic smirk on her face as she shrugged in response. "Sorry, I don't dance."

"I can teach you."

"I _can_ dance; I just _choose_ not to," Emma insisted as she took a sip from her glass of wine and hoped Killian would drop the subject.

Killian pursed his lips in disappointment before glancing across the table. "Well then," he huffed dramatically, "I suppose you won't mind me dancing with another," he announced as he stalked over to where Mary Margaret was seated and extended his arm. "Would _you_ care for a dance?"

Mary Margaret giggled at his gentlemanly gesture before taking his arm and joining him on the dance floor. Emma watched the two go arm in arm, but was distracted when she saw David come sit in her date's now unoccupied seat.

"I had a nice talk with Killian earlier," he blurted as he turned to face Emma.

"And?"

David paused as a small smile spread across his face before answering quietly, "Go dance with him."

"What?" Emma begged, completely thrown by his odd change of tone. "You know I don't like dancing."

"I do know that," he admitted before adding in a lighter tone, " _but_ , love means doing things for other people that you wouldn't normally."

Emma's mouth fell open as she stammered back, "I don't—we're not," but she stopped when she saw David stare back at her with his arms folded over his chest, completely disbelieving every word she _tried_ to say.

Emma turned around to face the dance floor and set eyes on Killian who was laughing and twirling Mary Margaret. She couldn't help but smile at the sight.

She turned back to face David, summoning her courage before she finally gave him a firm nod and rose from her seat. "Alright, let's go break those two up. They look like they're having a little too much fun anyway."

Of course, thanks to Emma's _luck_ , as soon as she waltzed up to begrudgingly dance with Killian, the fast-paced song before ended and was followed with a slower melody. David strolled up to take Mary Margaret's hand and begin dancing, leaving Killian and Emma together.

"Change of heart, Swan?" Killian asked with a knowing gleam in his eye.

Emma rolled her eyes and couldn't help but smile as she answered, "You have no idea."

He took her hand in his as he placed his other hand on her hip and held her against him. Emma laid her head against his shoulder and the two swayed back and forth. It was corny and cliché and completely unlike her, but Emma had to admit the moment felt like magic. The dozens of other guests faded away until it felt as though Elvis was serenading only them with _Can't Help Falling in Love_.

"I guess this dancing thing isn't so bad," Emma whispered contently as she leaned forward to place a peck against his lips.

Killian gave her that adorable lopsided grin that always made Emma's heart melt in response. "Not when you have the right partner," he agreed.

Emma leaned back against his chest and nuzzled into his neck as she listened to the beautiful lyrics broadcasting around the room. They resonated with her as she thought of Killian and their relationship. Maybe David, _and Elvis for that matter_ , was onto something. Though the idea scared the hell out of her, it also left her with a distinct feeling of hope.

Emma sighed and pushed the thoughts from her mind. She would think of David's words tomorrow; for now, she wanted to simply enjoy her dance. She smiled against Killian's chest as they swayed in perfect rhythm and she thought, maybe, she was lucky after all.

* * *

Emma and Killian both woke the next morning with vicious hangovers after dancing and drinking the night away at the reception. Thankfully, with the help of strong coffee and some rest, they were able to rid themselves of their pounding headaches in time for their dinner plans.

A knock on the door signaled the arrival of Mary Margaret and David, which set off a chorus of Lady's barks as she rushed for the entrance. Emma's voice echoed from the kitchen in response, "Can you get that, Killian? I'll be right there."

Killian forced himself off the comfortable sofa and flicked off the TV as he padded to the entryway. He bent down and scooped up a rowdy Lady, tucking her against him with one arm as he pulled the door open with another.

The couple beamed at him and said their greetings as Mary Margaret proudly held out her hand to show Killian the dish she'd brought for dessert.

His stomach rumbled at the sight of one of her delicious apple pies. Bless that woman. He turned his gaze to David and caught his friend staring back at him with suspicion in his eyes.

"Lady lets you pick her up?" Dave asked with his lips pursed and his arms crossed over his chest. "She's only just started to _tolerate_ me. How long did it take her to warm up to you?"

Killian reached up to scratch at his ear as he forced out a quick lie. "Um, quite a while, Dave. A long time," he insisted with the wave of his hand. "You just need to visit more, and she'll take to you," Killian explained as he led the pair into the apartment.

Emma strolled in from the kitchen to greet them as she cleaned her hands on a dish towel and wiped away a stray dot of flour from her nose.

She was attempting to make _something_ from scratch —her earlier try at an explanation of 'that something' left a confused and skeptical Killian banished from the kitchen. From the look of it, they were either in for a splendid meal or they'd be ordering pizza. Time would tell.

Mary Margaret rushed off to join her friend in the kitchen, likely eager to try and salvage whatever was baking at the moment.

Killian and David were then left to their own devices for a while. Killian introduced Peter to David who instantly took a liking to the fluffy and bouncy kitten. They made small talk for a stretch, but when they'd exchanged enough, polite pleasantries, they both crashed on the couch and flipped on American football, content to exchange a few mumbled grunts here and there.

Killian picked Lady up off the floor and plopped her down between them on the sofa, eager for her to befriend Dave if only to make his mate happy and to ease a bit of his own guilt as well. After all, Lady had taken to him with no trouble.

When the game was at halftime, Killian strolled into the messy kitchen to grab a few beers and was quickly shooed away by a flustered Emma, though not before he caught the distinct scent of food _burning_.

When he returned to couch, laughing a bit at the chaotic scene he'd witnessed, he noticed Lady actually resting her head on David's lap. David turned and smirked when he saw Killian staring back in surprise. "I guess she likes me after all," he bragged as he absolutely beamed with pride.

Their pizza arrived an hour later leaving the group to congregate at the small kitchen table and pass around the box of deliciously gooey, cheesy pizza. Emma hopped up and walked over to the fridge, turning back to the group. "Four beers?" she asked as she reached for their drinks.

"None for me," Mary Margaret called as she bit her lip, attempting to hide a smile.

Emma grabbed three beers and a soda before returning to the table, a suspicious express plastered across her face. "What is going on?" Emma demanded her gaze darting back and forth between Mary Margaret and David who were both smiling.

Killian took a sip of his beer and grabbed a slice of pizza as he awaited their announcement. Yes, he knew that gleam in their eyes. He'd been down this road before with Liam and Eric.

"We're having a baby!" Mary Margaret squeaked in excitement.

Emma was quiet at his side, clearly processing the information, but Killian smiled back at the happy couple. "How long have you known?" he asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Oh, about two weeks now, but we didn't want to steal any attention away from Kathryn and Jim," David explained as he wrapped his arm around Mary Margaret.

Killian looked over just in time to see Emma cringe slightly at the declaration. He stifled a laugh before anyone could notice. If they had only told her a week earlier, she would have gotten $50 from Kathryn and Ruby, which would have been quite nice with the holidays fast approaching.

"We're going to wait a month before telling the rest of the gang. It's still very early," Mary Margaret announced as she took a bite of her pizza.

David chimed in, finishing her thought, "But we wanted you to know first, Emma."

Emma beamed over at the two of them, squinting her eyes to keep from crying. "I am so happy for you, and I cannot wait to be an aunt. That baby is going to be terribly spoiled," she declared with a laugh.

The rest of dinner was spent talking mostly about the baby. David and Mary Margaret were already arguing over names, but they were both clearly excited and even more in love now that they had a little one on the way.

Killian shared some of Olivia and Noah's funniest antics and vowed to bring Emma along on more of his babysitting adventures. After all, she needed to be whipped into aunt-shape by June, when the lad or lass was due.

Soon, after their pizza and apple pie had been devoured, Mary Margaret and David departed, promising to host Emma and Killian at their home next time.

Killian packed up his weekend bag then headed to the kitchen to help Emma clean. She'd been quiet since their friends left and was clearly deep in thought. She was probably still processing the new baby, he told himself as he loaded the dishwasher and helped her wipe down the counters.

"Do you ever feel left behind?" Emma finally asked in a hushed voice, breaking the silence as she plopped down at the kitchen table.

Killian furrowed his brow in confusion at her question as he tossed his dirty rag in the sink and joined Emma at the table. "How do you mean?"

"Well, when you see Liam and Eric getting married, having kids, having their own families—do you ever feel like you're always two steps behind?" Emma pressed, crossing her arms over her chest.

He frowned at her question. Emma had watched one friend marry yesterday and two others announce a pregnancy today. He knew she was happy for them, truly, but it must hurt as well. Despite her outward denial, Killian knew that deep down she too longed for a family of her own someday.

"I've already been married, and I got damn near close to being a father. I don't feel left behind. I feel—" Killian's voice caught in his throat as he paused, taking a moment to gather his courage. "I feel like I was quite _ahead_ until I mucked it all up," he confessed in a broken tone. He had it all at one time— the dream— and he'd lost it. Then again, if he hadn't, he wouldn't be sitting here with Emma. "But at the same time, it wasn't right with Milah, so I think that worked out how it had to."

Emma frowned and reached across the table to hold his hand in hers, pressing a kiss against his knuckles. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought this up."

He shook his head in disagreement before continuing, "You know, everyone has their own pace, Emma. You just have to go at your own speed. I have no doubt you'll make it someday. Marriage, kids, the works, everything you dream about— it'll all be yours," he promised as he caught her gaze and smiled.

Emma cocked an eyebrow in response and fought to suppress her own small smile, "You're awfully confident."

"No, love, I'm quite determined," he corrected in a hushed voice, speaking more to himself than her.

Emma furrowed her brow, not quite catching his meaning, but didn't press the subject.

At that, he hopped up and placed a chaste kiss against her lips before the two headed for the living room. He grabbed his bag and Peter, before standing at the door.

"I have to run, lass. I have work tomorrow morning, and I need to arrive early so Eric has ample time to regale me with pictures of Reed's growth in the last week," he joked with a wry grin.

Emma gave him a sad smile in return as she walked over to give him one last kiss.

Killian turned the handle, but paused in the doorway to turn back and address Emma one last time for the night. "You'll have your turn, Swan. I know it."

* * *

 **What did you guys think? Did you enjoy David in this chapter? What did you think of the dance? I'd love to know! As always, thanks for all the sweet reviews and your words of encouragement!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I have been receiving such sweet and thoughtful reviews throughout this process, and I just want to thank each and every one of you for sharing your thoughts on the chapters and being so supportive of my work. I am so grateful to have such engaging and kind readers. You truly make the writing process extra special!**

 **This chapter spans all the major holidays from Halloween to New Year's! Enjoy!**

* * *

The last time Emma had a partner during the holiday season was when she was engaged to Walsh, and he was far from being the family man that Killian is. She'd suggested to Walsh multiple times that they travel to Kansas to visit his family for the holidays, but he adamantly refused, claiming he wasn't on good terms with them. She often wondered if they even existed or if they were just another lie in his treasure trove of deceit.

This year was going to be far different because she'd be splitting her time between her friends and Killian's family. Before heading to Mary Margaret and David's for a costume party, Emma and Killian spent Halloween with the Joneses, helping to hold down the fort by passing out candy while Elsa and Liam took their little witch and cowboy trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Emma had to admit, her favorite holiday was much more fun with kids around to enjoy, _and harass with her camera_ , and the opportunity to partake in couples costumes.

They argued for weeks over what to dress as, Killian adamantly pulling for Han and Leia, and Emma pushing for roaring 20s costumes instead. As they were flipping through the channels one night and caught the end of _The Princess Bride_ , they settled on their costume: Buttercup and Westley. Emma found a suitable red dress easily enough, but what truly puzzled her was the fact that Killian already owned appropriate pants, a loose fitting black shirt, and leather boots to create his ensemble. He swore it was a coincidence. She wasn't entirely convinced.

Much to Killian's offence, Emma was surprised to find that his family did celebrate Thanksgiving.

" _My mum was American, Swan."_

" _Yeah, but you're so British. You're still mad that Olivia says soccer instead of football."_

" _The entire bloody world says football."_

Before heading to the Joneses to help Elsa prepare Thanksgiving dinner, Emma dressed in a forest green turtleneck sweater and threw on her loyal, swan and emerald necklace to complete the look. She wore the necklace every day without fail, only taking it off for showers or when she slept with Killian. He adamantly refused to be intimate with her while she wore her _'anti-love'_ necklace, as he called it.

Emma had never actually prepared a Thanksgiving dinner before. When she was younger, she had her first real Thanksgiving dinners with the Nolan family, and David's mother, Ruth, was a pro, requiring no help in the kitchen. She spent quite a few Thanksgivings with the gang, but most of the cooking was done by Mary Margaret and Kathryn, while Emma tried to help, and Ruby watched football with the guys. Thankfully though, Elsa was only too happy to teach her this year.

Then, as is tradition in the Jones household, they went around the table sharing what they were thankful for in their lives. Olivia started, spending a solid ten minutes listing each and every part of her life that brought her some semblance of joy. After her came Noah who had to be goaded by all four adults before he finally mumbled _'my family, this turkey, and dogs,'_ as he dug back into his food.

The adults went next, Liam, Elsa, and Emma all sharing the aspects of their lives that made them most thankful. Killian's turn came last; he cleared his throat and shared his thanks for his family, job, and friends—

"And you're thankful for Emma!" Olivia insisted between bites of mashed potatoes—delicious mashed potatoes that Emma prepared _without_ Elsa's aid.

Emma looked over at Killian and bit her lip as she saw his ears turn red.

He glanced at her and smiled shyly before adding, "Aye, her too."

* * *

In no time, the gorgeous New England fall leaves tumbling off trees gave way to snowflakes falling from the sky as Christmas loomed closer. Killian was thankful to have Emma around this year, as she was quite fun on their Christmas shopping ventures. She was bloody handy too as she knew exactly what to buy Elsa, Olivia, and Noah. He never knew what on Earth to buy Elsa, and the kids were tougher to buy for as they got older. In exchange, he helped her pick out gifts for Victor and Jim that he knew the guys would like.

They spent their Christmas Eve with his family. Elsa, with the help of Emma, prepared an elaborate Christmas Eve dinner that they all enjoyed. Killian consumed his weight in pumpkin pie, while Emma triumphed since she had been the one to make it.

Once dinner came to an end and the family had watched a few Christmas movies— _Rudolph_ for the kids, _Christmas Vacation_ for Killian and Liam as that was their favorite— the time arrived for the Jones family Christmas Eve tradition.

"Can we open our pajamas now?" Olivia and Noah chorused as they admired the small mound of presents under the brightly lit Christmas tree in the corner of the living room.

Killian turned toward Emma and whispered an explanation. "We always open holiday-themed pajamas on Christmas Eve."

Liam leaned over and murmured to Killian, "You're going to _love_ yours this year, little brother."

Emma burst into a fit of giggles as Killian gritted his teeth. _Bloody wanker._ Usually Elsa bought his pajamas, but he should have known Liam would meddle and embarrass him in front of Emma. Really, for a guy who claimed to support their relationship, he didn't mind making Killian look like a git in front of the lass.

The kids tore open their presents first, tossing the wrappings aside as they pulled their pajamas from the boxes and rushed off to change.

Once the tikes had returned, clad in their Christmas pajamas, they went about passing around boxes to the adults. Liam and Elsa accepted theirs happily. Killian gulped nervously when he was handed _two_ boxes and saw that they both had Liam's handwriting on the tags.

Olivia brought the last wrapped present over to Emma. "Oh," she began in surprise as she looked over the gift in her lap.

Killian leaned over to whisper in her ear, not wanting the rest of the family to notice their exchange. He gave her a bright smile as he assured, " _Of course_ you got one too."

Actually, he'd spent quite a bit of time struggling over the exact pajamas to purchase Emma. He started his quest at Victoria's Secret and very much wanted to buy her a rather gossamer red nighty with white fur along the top, but he decided that wouldn't be appropriate for a family reveal. Instead, he visited numerous other shops before he finally settled on pajamas that he deemed Christmas enough for the holiday, but not too outlandish and embarrassing.

Emma ran her hand along the package for a moment before she looked up to meet his eye. She gave him an unsure smile before finally ripping into the paper at the urging of the kids. Emma flipped open the box to reveal red and pink candy-striped thermal pajamas.

"Those are not very Christmasy," Liam scolded as he observed the clothes in Emma's hands.

Elsa gave him a light smack on the arm before she assured, "They're lovely. You did a good job, Killian."

Emma beamed over at him as she pressed a quick peck against his lips. "You really did," she announced before quickly whispering in his ear, "I'll _actually_ wear these again."

Killian smirked proudly to himself, his long quest a success, until he was roused from his thoughts by his pesky brother.

"Alright, your turn, Killian. Open the red box first, then the green," Liam instructed eagerly as he rubbed his hands together.

Killian took a deep breath, readying himself for whatever embarrassment lay in the boxes before him, then tore off the wrapping of the red one first. He opened the box only to find a long-sleeved, green shirt with a single snowman in the center, paired with green, red, and white striped pants. They weren't stylish by any means, but by Jones standards, these were quite mild Christmas pajamas. They paled in comparison to the bright blue, penguin adorned sweats he'd unveiled last year.

He held them up for the family to see as he nodded in approval at the set, though his glimmer of satisfaction was soon destroyed as Liam prodded, "Don't forget the green box."

Killian rolled his eyes, eliciting a string of giggles from the kids who were likely in on their father's joke. Deciding it better just to get it over with, Killian quickly dug into the wrapping of the green box and opened it up to reveal— _bloody hell he was going to kill Liam._

"Hold them up for us to see!" Liam commanded as he fell over with laughter on the couch. Olivia and Noah cheered as Killian closed his eyes and lifted the pair of green and red striped elf slippers in the air, the bells sewn into the top jingly loudly, signaling his shame.

"For a short second, I thought you were going to be nice this year," Killian shouted over the chorus of the family's laughter.

Liam clutched his stomach and fell against Elsa's shoulder. Between laughs, he answered back, "I was, but when I came across those slippers, well, I couldn't resist."

Killian looked over to see Emma wiping away tears from her eyes as she fought to catch her breath and steady her laughter. "I'll make sure he wears them," she insisted as she broke out into another fit of giggles.

"See, Killian, I knew from the start this lass was perfect," Liam claimed.

Killian pursed his lips in response and tried, but failed, to stave off a smile at the sight of his Swan keeled over in laughter next to him. He'd never seen her laugh that hard, and he couldn't help but feel happy at the sight, despite his own shame. He bloody _knew_ she wasn't kidding. He was going to end up in those elf slippers whether he liked it or not.

They said their goodbyes soon after. Killian and Emma had an hour trip ahead of them, and the kids had to be in bed for Santa.

As soon as they arrived back to Emma's apartment with Peter in tow, the pair placed a few gifts from Killian's house under the tree before readying for bed.

Killian returned from the bathroom to find Emma lying in bed, donning her Christmas pajamas and snuggling with Lady and Peter. She stole her attention away from the TV to glare at him as he entered the bedroom.

"What are you wearing?"

Killian furrowed his brow in confusion as he looked down at his clothes. "Um, sweatpants."

"You're not getting in this bed until you put on your Christmas pajamas," Emma declared before turning her attention back to _It's a Wonderful Life_.

He gaped at her and groaned in protest. "Swan—"

" _And the slippers."_

* * *

The upside to spending Christmas morning with Emma and not his brother's family was that Killian wasn't awoken by the squeals of delighted children at 5am. Instead, he was roused awake by the delicious smell of breakfast cooking and the sound of Christmas songs echoing through the apartment at _7am_. Heaven.

Killian had been a tad nervous about their first Christmas morning as a couple, but after a quick breakfast, the two settled down under the tree to exchange their gifts. Much to his relief, Emma loved the new camera he bought her; he'd caught her admiring it during one of their outings, but he wasn't entirely sure if she'd want a new one. To his delight, Emma gave him a much needed, and quite bloody fancy, new watch.

The true winners of their little family Christmas were Lady and Peter, who made out like bandits, each getting stockings stuffed with toys and treats.

After their cozy Christmas morning together, Killian and Emma headed off to their next family gathering. This time, they were heading to David's mother's house in the suburbs of Boston. Ruth was a warm and loving woman just as Emma had described.

"Well, he certainly is handsome, Emma," she rang as she guided the pair inside her quaint home. That was enough to win Killian over. They had a lovely Christmas dinner with the Nolan's, spending most of the conversation on Mary Margaret and David's pregnancy. Soon though, in a bid of sweet revenge, Killian insisted on seeing some of Emma and David's yearbooks. Ruth was more than happy to oblige. Emma and David were not.

Killian laughed until his sides ached when he stumbled upon David's photo from sophomore year. "That's a nice bowl cut, Dave," he jabbed between laughs. David crossed his arms over his chest and pouted, clearly less amused than his friend.

Ruth's mother sat beside Killian and flipped through more pages until they found Emma's picture. Killian's breath hitched in his throat of the sight of his sweet Swan looking so young and innocent. Her hair was shorter, bobbing just above her shoulders, and her cheeks were rounded with youth, but she still had that same emerald twinkle in her eye and smile on her face that he loved.

"You look beautiful, Emma," Killian noted as he stared down at the image, tracing his finger along the faded picture. "What were you like then?" he asked as he looked up to meet Emma's gaze.

Before she could answer, Ruth jumped in, "She was quite the wild one," she explained with a disapproving, but still loving laugh.

"Oh really? Well, I'd love to hear _all_ about that," Killian declared as he flashed a wicked grin Emma's way.

Emma glanced back at him with a grimace on her face. If looks could kill.

After dinner and some humorous stories from Ruth, the group exchanged gifts. David loved his Christmas gift from Emma and Killian, mostly Killian, tickets to a Red Sox versus Yankees game this spring. All jabs about bowl cuts earlier were clearly forgotten as David raved about the tickets over their dessert of pumpkin and pecan pies.

They returned to Emma's apartment later that evening and headed to bed early; they were spending Boxing Day with the Joneses tomorrow and then Killian had work that afternoon.

As they lay in bed, Emma resting her head against Killian's shoulder and tracing the snowman on his Christmas pajamas, he leaned down and pressed a kiss against her hair. "Did you have a good Christmas, Emma?"

Emma pressed a kiss against his collarbone before letting a soft yawn escape her lips. "I think this has been the best one yet."

* * *

Killian brought Liam, Elsa, and the kids to the airport a few days after Christmas. The family was heading to Alaska to ring in the New Year with Elsa's sister, Anna, her husband, Kris, and their brood, which was due to expand come March. Elsa complained the entire car ride that Anna was conveniently 'too pregnant' every time it was her turn to make the long trip to visit.

" _Well, at least I won't have that issue with you and Emma."_

Killian nearly crashed the bloody car.

He had to work New Year's Eve, but thankfully his shift ended by midday, leaving him plenty of time to shower and drive to Boston to join Emma at yet another party hosted by Mary Margaret and David.

Upon their arrival, they were crowned with absurd party hats, but raised no objections against a pregnant Mary Margaret whose new hormones were a bit terrifying at times. Instead, the friends simply donned their silly hats and were soon too drunk or, in Killian's case since he was driving later, too stuffed with the delicious hors d'oeuvres she served to even care.

He and Emma stole the entire plate of Mary Margaret's fancy prosciutto-wrapped shrimp and snuck off to a secluded closet to finish them all off.

" _We're horrible people."_

" _We'll be better next year, Swan."_

Finally, after a few hours of mingling and party games, midnight approached. With ten minutes to spare, Mary Margaret flipped on the TV and beckoned her guests over to watch as thousands of people crowded into Time Square to observe the ball drop marking the start of a brand new year.

The group chattered and watched the news casters drone on until the true countdown finally began. _Ten, nine, eight_ —Killian yanked at the collar of his shirt and stole a glance next to him at Emma— _seven, six, five_ —he licked his lips nervously and fidgeted in his seat; he hadn't kissed someone on New Year's in a long, long time— _four, three, two_ —

When they arrived at _one_ , the group erupted into a chorus of cheers. A drunken Ruby and Victor broke out into song while Kathryn and Jim cheered and Mary Margaret and David blew on their party horns. All of it was white noise to Killian who was immediately pulled into the best bloody kiss of his life by Emma as she yanked him towards her by the lapels of his shirt.

They simply sat there on the Nolans' couch completely lost in the feel and taste of each other no concept of time passing or anyone else around them. Killian would have stayed in that moment forever except for the sound of a curt cough from David as he frowned down at the two.

"Really, if you're going to make-out, go hide in the closet _again_ ," David mocked, only slightly joking.

They stuck around for a little while longer, Emma finishing off some champagne with Kathryn and Ruby while Killian and David joked over Victor's drunken antics.

When the time came to bid their friends farewell, the nerves Killian had staved off all day finally caught up to him. He unconsciously ran his hand over his coat pocket as he took a deep breath. He'd been planning to surprise Emma with a special New Year's gift for a month, but now that the time was finally upon them, he just prayed she'd like it.

Once they were in the car, Killian turned to her and stated, "We have a quick stop to make before we head home."

"Really? Where?" Emma asked, clearly intrigued.

"You'll see," he teased, thankful that Emma was a bit too fuzzy from the champagne to catch the hint of anxiety in his voice.

* * *

"What are we doing here?" Emma questioned as she peeked out of her window and observed the snow covered sand and docks before them.

Killian placed the car in park and took a deep breath to gather his courage before he replied. "I have a gift for you, love," he explained as he turned to face her. He reached into his coat pocket and offered over a palm-sized, square jewelry box.

Emma's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't just gotten her a gift. He'd gotten her _jewelry_. She was immediately overcome with guilt. "Killian, people don't normally exchange gifts on New Year's. I don't have anything for you," she apologized.

"I know, but this is important to me. Please accept it," he pleaded as he stared back at her.

Emma nodded and returned a shy smile before she finally flipped open the lid of the red, velvet box. Inside was a stunning pear cut sapphire necklace hanging from a glimmering silver chain.

Her mouth fell open as she gazed at the beautiful pendant. It was simple, yet elegant and the color of the sea, which she assumed was intended. She could tell from the shimmer of the sapphire that he'd spent a good amount of money. "Killian, you really shouldn't have gotten such an expensive gift," she whispered with a twinge of guilt in her voice. She felt badly, but she still couldn't quite take her eyes off the gorgeous present.

"This is the day for new beginnings, and I thought it might be time for a new necklace," he murmured nervously as he stared up at her, "one that doesn't weigh you down with bad memories and pain."

Emma looked up to meet his gaze, serious but understanding.

He cleared his throat before continuing. "This does come with one rule though," he explained as he gestured down to the jewelry in her hand. "You must get rid of that other necklace," he insisted as he stared at the swan and emerald necklace loyally hanging from her neck.

Emma placed her hand over the necklace against her chest. Her brow furrowed as she thought over Killian's proposition. She knew why he was doing this: she'd told him about the necklace, exactly what it meant— that Walsh gave it to her and she kept it as a reminder of her heartache, to never let it happen again. He wanted her to let go of the pain, the fear, that held her back, but there were times in Emma's life where that pain and fear was all she truly had. Could she ever part with it?

"Listen," he intoned, rousing her from her thoughts, "this isn't about me or Walsh or that bugger Neal. This isn't a matter of jewelry either. This is about _you_ ," he pressed. He paused and softened his tone as he reached over to take her hand in his. "You're so wonderful, Emma, and you deserve nothing but happiness. That necklace is your personal reminder not to open your heart up for fear of getting hurt, but if you do that, you might miss out on your chance at happiness altogether."

Emma didn't respond at first. She simply stared out at the sea before them and mulled over his words. "You're right," she finally agreed cautiously. Before he could respond, Emma reached up to unlatch and remove her old necklace before handing the new one over to Killian. "Would you do the honors?" she requested as she turned around and gathered her loose hair up in her hand.

Killian let out a breath of relief as he removed the sapphire pendant from the box and placed it around Emma's neck. He fiddled with the clasp for a second before it was firmly in place.

When Emma turned back to face him, her new necklace in place, his breath hitched in his throat. "Beautiful. You truly do it justice," he beamed proudly.

She blushed, of course, but in light of the moment, Killian didn't comment on that, for which Emma was quite grateful. Instead, he asked, "Are you ready?"

Emma simply nodded and slipped on her coat and gloves before braving the cold outside.

The two walked hand in hand along the dock until they came to the end of the pier that looked out over the sea. The water was calm and the night was quite peaceful despite the fact that the rest of Boston was reveling in New Year's celebrations.

Emma took a deep breath, sighing peacefully as she took in the delightful scent of salt air. She rolled the emerald swan necklace around in her gloved hand for a second as she stared out at the dark blue sea before them.

After a moment, once she'd gathered her resolve, Emma balled her hand into a fist and threw the necklace out to sea with all her might. The necklace was too small, and the water was too dark, for her to see it fall, but the faint sound of a distance 'plop' signaled its arrival to the sea. The noise echoed through her ears as if it were a loud drum ringing in the beginning of a new era.

She felt tears pricking at her eyes and let them fall. She was too overwhelmed to care for the moment. "Thank you," Emma forced out on a shaky breath.

"For the new necklace or for making you get rid of the old one?" Killian responded as he too stared out at the waters before them.

"Both."

At that, Killian finally faced her and gave a small, sympathetic smile. He leaned forward to gently wipe away the stray tears rolling down her face. He then pressed a tender kiss against her lips and wrapped her in a warm embrace.

Emma stayed in his arms for what felt like forever as she calmed herself. She closed her eyes and reveled in the warmth radiating off him despite the chilly air around them. After a while, she truly felt better, lighter. He had been right: she didn't need that necklace, that reminder anymore. That pain was behind her, and good things lay ahead.

Finally, Killian pulled away from their embrace and placed his forehead against hers. "Come, let's get you home. It's freezing," he remarked as he took her hand in his and tugged her along down the snowy dock.

"It's going to be a great year, Swan. I just know it," he vowed with an excited smirk as they strolled down the pier.

She smiled and squeezed his hand tighter in hers as she pressed her other hand over the sapphire now dangling from her neck. She smiled because she was happy, she smiled because she was free, and she smiled because she had a distinct feeling that once again Killian was right.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I'd love to hear your thoughts on Emma and Killian's holiday adventures! This is only the first of _two_ updates this week. Woot woot! Stay tuned :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Folks! I tried to make it clear in the writing, but in case you miss it, this chapter starts about two months after the previous one ended. We're picking up at the beginning of March. I want to show their relationship getting more serious, and Ms. Emma Swan takes her good old time. Also, there is another reason why I need us closer to a particular date, but that will be revealed in chapter 21 ;)**

* * *

When Emma arrived at Killian's house for the weekend, she plopped her overnight bag on the bottom stair step and kicked off her boots before rushing along to the living room. She was on a mission. She left on all her outerwear and clutched her camera in her hand as she sought out Killian.

She found him on the couch, completely immersed in a Discovery Channel marathon as he absentmindedly stroked Peter in his arms. Emma stepped in front of the TV and bounced in place with excitement as she beamed down at him. "Let's take some pictures," she announced as she waved her camera before him.

Killian tried to peek around Emma at the TV as he opened his mouth to object, but was quickly cut off as she continued.

"I don't have many pictures of us together," she explained with a note of nervousness in her voice as she pulled out her new camera from its bag; she had owned it for a few months now, but it would be _new_ to her for another year. "I wanted to wait for spring to arrive and the snow to melt, but this is Boston and that could take another month."

"Just a couple more weeks, love," Killian teased with an understanding chuckle as he tossed a pillow her way.

"Yes, but you'll be on babysitting duty in two weeks and won't have time," Emma proclaimed with a triumphant smirk. "Are you up for a photo session?"

"If you insist," Killian huffed as he sprawled out on the couch, placing his arms over his head and giving Emma a devilish wink. "Photograph me like one of your French girls," he chimed in a husky voice as he ran his tongue along his bottom lip.

Emma burst into a fit of giggles at his ridiculous reference before she picked up the pillow and tossed it back at him, laughing louder when it smacked him square in the face.

"You are an idiot, and you're not funny," Emma scolded between chuckles.

Killian rolled his eyes and stood up from the couch. "If I'm not funny, why are you laughing?" he challenged as he walked over to place a kiss against her forehead.

Emma pursed her lips but didn't respond. Instead, she peeked out the window and responded, "Come on; let's get outside before it starts snowing again."

Killian was less than enthusiastic at first about standing outside in the cold, trudging through snow while Emma found the perfect spot to place her tripod. Once she started snapping a few pictures and thinking of different settings, Killian quickly had a change of heart. As they were nearing the end of their impromptu photo session, he was even suggesting different poses and places.

He ended up insisting that they build a snowman to pose with and could not be persuaded against it despite Emma's best efforts.

"Swan, I posed in front of every bloody tree in this yard for you. I have earned one fun picture."

Building the snowman was easy enough. God knows there was enough snow in the greater Boston area for them to use, and growing up in Boston meant they were both seasoned snowman builders. The tough part was decorating the thing, which Killian wanted to be pirate-themed. While Emma scoured the yard for a stick buried beneath the snow that could serve as a peg leg, Killian ducked inside to find some items. He returned with a scarf, carrot nose, and an _eye patch_ to complete the look. She shook her head in disbelief as he stretched the eye patch around the head of their snowman, but chose not to ask him exactly _why_ he happened to own one.

After Emma had taken over a hundred photos and deemed her work done, the two rushed back inside. As they were pulling off their hats and scarves, Killian sauntered over to Emma with _that_ look in his eye. He suggested an appropriate reward for his patience during their picture session would be some _enjoyable_ activities to warm the two up. Emma was happy to oblige.

Later that night, she found herself lounged on Killian's couch, flipping through the pictures on her camera from their earlier excursion while a rebellious and fast-growing kitten clawed at her favorite pair of pants. They were watching _Airplane_ tonight, at Killian's request, and he was currently dying over _"Don't call me Shirley"_ for what was _surely_ the hundredth time he'd seen this movie.

Emma pursed her lips and grinned from ear to ear at the sight of him as she absentmindedly twirled the sapphire necklace hanging from her neck. She loved him. She'd known it for months now. She just didn't have the courage to tell him. But in these small, quiet, unguarded moments, her feelings were undeniable.

She loved Killian Jones.

* * *

Two weeks flew by for Killian, and before he knew it, the day had arrived for Liam and Elsa to depart to Alaska to welcome the arrival of Anna's new child.

He drove the family to the airport and waited with the kids as the family said their goodbyes at the security line.

Once Liam and Elsa waved goodbye one last time and were out of sight, Killian turned his attention to his clearly upset niece and nephew. "Hey, cheer up, you two. We're going to have a ton of fun now that mummy and daddy are gone. What do you guys say we go spend the day in Boston?"

"With Emma?" Olivia shouted, wiping her teary eyes as thoughts of her departed parents were exchanged with excitement.

"Aye, with Emma," Killian answered as he pressed a kiss to hair.

"And Lady too?" Noah questioned, a hopeful hint in his voice.

"Aye, with Lady too," Killian responded patiently as he took the little lad by the hand and led the two through the airport. They babbled the _entire_ car ride to Boston about their plans for the day. Not a second to pause or reflect, just talking the entire time. Killian was in for an exhausting week.

They were only at Emma's for a short time—upon their arrival, the kids rushed straight into the apartment to play with Lady. Soon though, Killian and Emma rounded the two tikes up and headed to one of their favorite places, the Museum of Science.

Once they entered the enormous museum, Killian bent down to face Olivia and Noah. "Alright, before we begin our tour, let's pick buddies."

"Buddies?" Emma asked incredulously as she tapped her foot on stone flooring and stared down at him.

"Aye, so we don't lose anyone," Killian explained, hoping Emma wouldn't press the subject.

She let out a dry laugh as she shook her head in puzzlement. "Killian, there are only two of them."

"There was an incident. I'm not going to get into details, but we have a buddy system now. Okay?" Killian mumbled. Emma burst into a fit of laughter after that, prompting him to turn his attention back to his niece and nephew. "Go on, pick buddies," he urged.

"Emma!" they both cried in unison, which quickly led to an argument.

"No one want's to be Uncle Killian's buddy?" Killian asked, feigning offence as he interrupted the siblings' dispute.

The two stared at each other silently for a moment before they turned to their uncle and cried again, "Emma!"

"After all I've done for you. I've been there for you two since birth," Killian began as he stood up and looked down at the two, placing his hand over his heart in anguish. "When your parents first laid eyes on you as babies, they wanted to trade you for cuter children, but I stepped in and made them keep you."

The two gasped in horror before Olivia shouted back, "That did not happen!" as she placed her hands firmly on her hips and she huffed in disagreement.

"Yes, it did. You just don't remember because you were a wee babe," he countered, raising his hand up to cover the grin spreading across his face.

"You are so mean!" Emma cried as she swatted him on the shoulder. "No buddies for mean, Uncle Killian. I get both of you!" she declared as she turned to Olivia and Noah and took them each by the hand. The trio waltzed off for the planetarium with Killian stalking after, laughing to himself.

The two rascals insisted on ice cream after the museum trip claiming it would make them miss their parents less. _Devious little creatures._ There was still melting snow on the ground, and those two begged and begged for _ice cream_.

Emma took them all to one of her favorite ice cream shops, one with dozens of toppings available.

Noah rushed off ahead of them in the line as Killian and Emma spent five minutes with Olivia trying to help the little lass make the very important choice between chocolate or strawberry syrup. By the time they caught up to Noah at the checkout, the boy held before him a bowl of ice cream covered in every bloody topping the store had, which had turned the contents an off-putting greenish-brown shade.

"Are you going to eat that?" Killian asked incredulously as he pointed down to the glob his nephew held.

Noah gazed up at his uncle with a confused expression across his face. "Of course," he noted with a shrug.

At Killian's side, Emma handed Olivia her ice cream before brushing her hand over the little girl's curly locks. "How about you go choose our seat?" she prompted before adding, "and take your brother."

As soon as the kids were gone and Emma and Killian had paid for their ice cream, an older woman walked by them on her way out of the shop.

"You two have the most adorable children," she offered in passing with a smile as she headed for the door.

Emma stopped walking, nearly causing Killian to bump into her, as her mouth fell ajar. "Oh-"

"We, um, they're actually-" Killian began, but the woman had left the shop by the time the two had come to their senses and began _attempting_ to offer a reply.

Killian and Emma stood frozen in place for a moment after the encounter before they finally turned to gauge each other's reactions. Emma let out a forced laugh as she avoided making eye contact, prompting Killian to simply shrug off the comments. "Why don't we go eat, Swan?"

"That sounds good," she responded as she sped off ahead of him toward the booth Olivia had chosen.

* * *

Emma, with her sweet Lady in tow, followed after Killian and the kids to Cape Cod. She'd spent time with Killian and the kids before, but she was eager to observe how he would handle babysitting his nine-year-old niece and six-year-old nephew _alone_ , without Elsa or Liam a simple phone call away, for an extended period of time.

The foursome spent the afternoon playing in the backyard, enjoying the finally warm spring air. Olivia and Noah took turns on the rope-swing hanging from a large oak, before they set their sights higher and began climbing the tree instead.

Emma got some amazing shots of the kids hanging from the branches, but the pictures were truly golden due to the addition of an absolutely frantic Killian waving his arms in panic.

They ventured back inside for dinner, where Emma and Killian had to practically force-feed Noah his vegetables. They finally persuaded him to eat his lima beans with promises of s'mores made in the fire place for dessert. The s'mores were far more popular than dinner, even with Peter, who managed to steal a few marshmallows before anyone noticed the devious little guy.

After dessert and more kid's movies in one night than Emma had seen in the past decade, Olivia and Noah finally, _thankfully_ , seemed to be drifting off. Killian whisked them upstairs for their respective showers.

Olivia was fine on her own, but Noah had just started taking showers and needed a little supervision. By the time Emma had grown impatient and ventured into the bathroom to check on the boys, she found Noah standing in a towel, giggling hysterically while Killian scowled and tried to wring out his soaked pants.

"How in the—"

"Don't ask, Swan. Don't ask."

Killian corralled the tikes into their room and sat with them on the bottom bunk while they argued over which book to read before bed. Emma watched in amusement from her place at the end of the bed while the kids went back and forth and Killian, sitting in between them with a clearly exhausted expression on his face, simply closed his eyes and leaned against the bed frame. He still had six more days ahead.

Eventually, the duo agreed on a book of Grimm fairytales, which seemed dark and unsettling for bedtime stories to Emma. After a few tales of princesses, elves, and various animals, that were a far cry from their Disney versions earlier, the kids settled into their respective bunks for the night.

Emma and Killian flipped off the lights before creeping down the stairs, eager not to wake the kids. She plucked Lady into her arms and stepped into her shoes as Killian followed after her.

"You're leaving, love?"

Emma looked over to catch his gaze, frowning when she noted the disappointment in his eyes. "It's getting late, and Lady and I are exhausted," she offered.

Killian stepped forward to close the space between them and placed his hands on her hips before placing a kiss against her forehead and then against the top of Lady's head. "You don't have work tomorrow. Stay, please."

Emma smiled, melting at his touch, but still tried to resist the temptation. "Are you sure Liam and Elsa won't mind if I stay the night?" She hadn't spent the night while Killian was watching the kids before; she wasn't sure that it was entirely appropriate. But this—kids, family— was uncharted territory for her.

"I already asked them before they left. They were fine with it," Killian assured, as he stole Lady from her grasp and headed off toward the kitchen. "Come on, love, I hid some extra s'more supplies on top of the fridge."

They spent a few hours unwinding after their busy day with the kids. The entire scene felt absurdly domestic, more domestic than they'd ever been together, which was saying something since Emma had already redecorated the man's bathroom. Still, she loved it. She loved sitting in the living room with him, watching some obscene, gory movie to recapture their wounded adulthood as they snacked on s'mores and looked through Emma's pictures from earlier in the day. Killian begged her to delete the ones of him fretting over the kids, claiming he looked like a _'silly mother hen.'_ Those hilarious words hadn't helped his case, and the photos remained.

When they felt their eyelids begin to droop and their once stimulating conversation had turned to mostly yawns, Emma and Killian rallied their pets and headed upstairs to bed.

Once she was halfway down the upstairs hall, she froze mid-step, noting that Killian had fallen behind. She turned around to catch him peeking in on the kids' room.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked in a low whisper, eager, _desperate_ not to wake Olivia and Noah.

"Just checking on them. They're nice like this—asleep, quiet," he quipped he shut the door and rejoined Emma on their way to his room.

Once they were finally in bed, lights off and covers drawn, Emma laid her head against Killian's chest and sighed pleasantly as he held her in his arms.

They were quiet for a few moments, but she knew he wasn't asleep. He was silent, not making that adorable breathy hum that he usually did when slumbering.

"It bothered you today, when that woman mistook us for a family," Killian murmured as he stared up at the ceiling.

"It caught me off guard," Emma corrected. She looked up to see his face illuminated by moonlight, a look of disbelief in his eyes. She pursed her lips as she explained in a hushed whisper, "It caught me off guard because part of me wanted it to be true, and," she paused as she took a moment to gather her courage. "And, that scares the hell out of me," she finally admitted.

"You know there's no pressure, Emma, no rush," Killian assured as he reached up to brush a hand through her blonde locks.

"I do know that," Emma assured. She smiled as she sat up and stared down at him as she trailed her index finger along his chin. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she collected her courage. She'd been wanting to say it for the longest time.

"Emma?" Killian whispered as he sat up beside her and gave her a worried expression.

She opened her eyes and bit her lip as she stared back into his deep blue eyes. "After all these months I just wanted to tell you something," she began, fighting to keep her voice steady.

"Tell me what," Killian asked as he cocked his eyebrow. _He knew_. She could tell that he knew, which meant she could just say it, right?

"I—I," Emma mumbled as she stared back at him. What if it was too soon? What if he didn't say it back? What if she admitted her feelings and then they fell apart, leaving her heartbroken, _again_?

"I want to thank you for welcoming me into your family, for showing me that I could truly enjoy kids," Emma forced out in one breath.

His expression faltered at her words, but only slightly. The excitement, the hope, faded from his eyes, but he still smiled back in understanding as he nodded. "Of course, love."

Emma felt her breath hitch in her throat as she wrung her hands together. She reached up to place a quick peck against his forehead before lying back down. She turned her back to him and settled an arm's length away, pulling the covers up to her chin as she felt tears roll down her cheeks. She should have said it. She was so close, but the words were just too strong, too much.

They were only separated for a moment until Emma felt Killian crawl behind her and pull her back against his chest. She stiffened in his embrace, fighting to keep her breath steady.

He placed a kiss against the back of her head before squeezing her closer into him, running his hand soothingly along her abdomen as he whispered into her ear. "It's alright, Swan. Everything is alright. Sleep."

Emma let out a breath and relaxed into his hold. One last tear fell as she closed her eyes and placed her hand over his. It was clear to her that he did know what she'd been trying to say, and despite that, he was still by her side. For now, that was enough. Tomorrow would be another day.

* * *

 **I must give a special shout-out to the lovely lilyjones87 for giving me the idea of Emma, Killian, and the kids being mistaken for a family. She suggested it back when chapter three was posted! Thank you so much for the support and the awesome idea!**

 **Also, I hope you guys liked this chapter- the calm before the storm! Let me know what you thought!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: This is a very important chapter in the story. That being said, it might be troubling to read. I found certain parts very unsettling to write. This is far more intense than the previous rescue chapters, so if you have a fear of water and drowning, this may be a good chapter for you to simply skim.**

 **Also, I must extend a huge thank you to the lovely _xcellkat_ , a reader and member of the Coast Guard, for answering some technical questions! Your help is greatly appreciated! **

* * *

The arrival of April marked an increase in boating accidents, and thus a more hectic schedule for Killian at work. As soon as the snow melted and the weather began to clear up, the citizens of Boston and the greater Massachusetts area took to the waters en masse.

The past few weeks had been hell, marked with seemingly longer shifts as they were full of rescue after rescue. Thankfully, nothing too serious had happened. Mostly they had to rescue folks from sandbars, or occasionally bail out the rare boat that sailed too far out to sea and ran out of gas.

Today though, he just knew they were in for a busy night. There was a storm brewing off shore, and while it wasn't bad enough to be classified as a hurricane, or even a tropical storm, it was still large enough to do damage when the inevitable inexperienced boater sailed right into it.

A call did come in just an hour later. Not the inexperienced boater that Killian had been expecting, but a mark just as dangerous: daring fisherman eager to score a fortune venturing the edge of a storm to cash in on the larger schools of fish.

He groaned internally as the mayday sounded, spurring the servicemen into action. With a vessel of that size in jeopardy, they had their work cut out for them with this rescue. Killian and Eric grabbed their gear and rushed to their helicopter where their normal team, Tina, Robin, and Smeeson, were all waiting.

Once they were in the air and adjusting their equipment, Tina called back to alert them of the mission details.

"We have a fishing freighter about forty-five minutes off coast. Eight souls on board. All conscious at the time of the mayday. We need to get in and get the hell out of there before the storm worsens."

Killian nodded along as he adjusted his flippers and slipped on his gloves. Missions of this nature weren't unheard of. Fisherman, if desperate enough, had been known to throw caution to the wind and chase after the potential small fortunes they could earn from catching huge fish during a storm. Still, Killian absolutely dreaded missions like this, not for the increased number of marks, but for the wait. He checked and rechecked his equipment over and over again as they soared further off coast towards their mark. He just wanted to get there and get everyone aboard the helicopter safely. The longer it took the rescue team to arrive, the more water the vessel would take on.

When Killian had finished readjusting his flippers for the fourth time, Robin called out, signaling their arrival. "We're here, mates. Good luck."

Killian and Eric leapt into action, eager to finally start their rescue. They peered out of the front of the helicopter to see the searchlights of their vessel illuminating a heavily submerged boat below. They were further away from the boat than usual to stay out of the worst storm winds, spurring them to hurry even faster, knowing they had a few more meters to swim to hit the mark.

They opened the cockpit door and dangled their flipper-clad feet over the edge while Robin and Tina lowered them to safe diving distance. "We're clear, men," Robin ordered. With that, Killian and Eric dropped into the stormy waters below.

Killian was only beneath the nearly freezing waters for a second before he kicked back to the surface. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, but was pelted by a strong wave. The wave forced him back under water, throwing him around like a bloody rag doll until it passed over him. He kicked fiercely until he was above surface again, sucking in breath as he searched around to regain his bearings. He looked to his left and saw Eric rise to the surface. The two turned their gaze ahead to the sinking ship and swam as quickly as they could, eager to reach the boat before another wave threw them back.

They were swimming against the wind and were pelted by heavy drops of rain, but they kept at it fiercely until they finally reached the vessel. Killian and Eric climbed aboard the flooded boat and cast their attention to the faces of the horrified fisherman, huddled together awaiting their rescue.

"We're rescue swimmers with the Coast Guard. We're here to get you out, but we can only take two at a time," Eric yelled, fighting to be heard over the gushing storm winds.

Killian surveyed the men and reached forward to grab the arm of a scrawny man, scarcely out of his teens. Out of the group, Killian's gut told him that this guy was the worst swimmer.

Eric grabbed another man and Killian turned to head back to the water, but was met with resistance from his mark.

"Take Captain John first," he began before nodding to the older man currently rallying the fisherman together. "He's my father," the young man explained shyly.

Killian paused for a moment to look at the man but shook his head before turning back to the son. "No, you first. I'll be back for him. I promise," Killian explained as he tugged the man into the sea. As soon as they were in the water, Killian's gut feeling was affirmed when the son clutched onto him as they soared through the water. The young man was clearly a poor swimmer as it was left to Killian to support most of his weight. Thankfully, the wind favored him on this trip and pushed them right beneath the helicopter, where Eric had already grabbed hold of the basket sent down by Smeeson.

They helped their rescues into the basket and secured it before giving the signal to Smeeson. They watched as the two soared through the air, making sure they made it safely before Eric and Killian sped off to grab their next two victims from the boat.

They sped through the next two trips from the boat to the retrieval zone beneath the helicopter. By the time they had fetched six of the fisherman, Killian could feel the wear on his body. His legs and arms burned from exertion and he was bloody exhausted, but still he pressed on. Captain John and one last crew member remained to be rescued before they were in the clear.

As they were making the lap back to the boat, they agreed that Eric would grab the crewman and Killian the captain. As soon as they made it to the vessel, which was sinking quickly, Eric helped his mark off the boat. Killian turned to grab his only to see John wading through the water and heading down below deck.

"Stop! What are you doing?" Killian called as he leapt to grab the man's arm, but missed by just a hair as the old man moved shockingly well through the knee-high water.

"My father's pocket watch, I've left it below deck," the captain called as he edged down the flooded stairs and waded into the hold.

"Bloody hell," Killian cried as he rushed after the stubborn old man. He paused and turned back to see Eric staring at him, clearly torn on what to do.

"Take him back to the helicopter," Killian ordered as he nodded down to the last fisherman at Eric's side. "I'll be right behind you."

Eric called after him, "Killian, stop. It's sinking too quickly. Killian—," but he ignored his friend's pleas and instead followed after John below deck. He had to get him out and back to his son. He promised.

The water was to his waist and rising quickly as he followed after the old man. "Sir, we have to leave now. The ship is sinking," Killian yelled as he finally caught up with man who stopped in front of a set of drawers. Captain John threw around the contents, searching frantically before he triumphantly held up a tarnished, golden pocket watch, clearly worn from time. "My son is getting married next week. I have to give him this watch, it's tradition," he explained as Killian grabbed him by the arm and thrust him forward. They didn't have time for traditions. The boat was sinking, fast.

Killian held onto the man as the two began to wade through the water. By the time he reached the door that led to a few steps and then ultimately the deck, the water had risen to his elbow. Killian turned the handle and shot his eyes open in surprise as the door remained closed in place. Killian yanked on the handle again before turning the captain. He was just turning it wrong. That's all. No worry. Boats, especially old ones like these, had special quirks that sometimes only the crew knew. Surely the captain would give some special shake and it would open right up.

John pressed forward and pushed the door, but it remained in place. "Is there a key?" Killian asked as he began scanning the room.

"It doesn't lock. Something must have fallen in front of it. A wave may have pushed some debris in its path," the captain explained as the two paused to stare at the door.

Killian gulped nervously as he felt his heart thump rapidly in his chest. He was trained for this. There was no need to panic. He would find a way out. He just needed to remain calm and keep his mark calm as well.

"Is there another door? A window, a shaft? Something?" Killian asked as he swam past Captain John and began searching around the flooding compartment.

Killian even resorted to opening the cabinet doors. Hoping there was some obscure secret exit hiding in one even though he knew that was ridiculous. He turned around when John didn't answer back and caught the man simply staring down at the watch in his palm. "My God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice cracked.

Killian rushed back toward the door, pushing against the wood again to no avail. "Eric! Eric!" he cried frantically, praying his partner had come back. "Eric! Eric!" he called again and again until he simply leaned back against the door and stared up at the wooden planks boarding up the ceiling. They were too strong to bust through, and there were no other exists. He wasn't getting out.

"Tell me about your son," Killian pressed as he stared across the room at John. The last thing Killian needed was for him to panic or to give up.

"He's too young to get married, but he's persistent, says she's the one," the captain offered with a chuckle as he shook his head and looked up to meet Killian's gaze.

Killian nodded back and smiled. That situation sounded all too familiar to him. "He'll be alright," Killian assured. "No matter how it goes."

Captain John nodded and gave a small smile in return, but it quickly faltered. "You're too young for this," he whispered, barely audible above the roaring storm winds outside.

Killian looked down at the rising water and swallowed. He knew what the captain meant. He was too young for this— _death._

It was always a possibility when he signed on for the job. Even as a young man applying for entrance into the rescue swimmer program, he knew he was putting his life on the line for others, that drowning was always a distinct risk. Somehow though, he never imagined it happening to him, getting bested by the sea. But as the water rose to Killian's chest, the cold liquid cutting his skin like a knife, and promising more pain ahead, he realized these were very likely some of his last moments.

He wouldn't see Olivia grow into a beautiful, fierce woman like her mother—be the MVP of her soccer team and prom queen all at once. He wouldn't get to see Liam absolutely frantic when she started dating. He wouldn't see Noah in school, playing sports, coming out of his shell, eventually winning the fight with his parents to get a dog. He wouldn't get the chance to pick on Liam for turning gray. He'd never get to tell Elsa how important she was to the family— how she saved them, he and Liam, when they were younger and aimless. He wouldn't see Peter again, though he knew his little kitten would be in good hands with Emma.

 _Emma._

Killian's breath hitched in his throat at the thought of his Swan, at the thought that he'd never see his Swan again. He could handle dying, but the thought of leaving Emma behind, of breaking her heart once again, was unbearable. They had so much ahead of them to look forward to. She was still skittish, still wary, but deep down he knew she would come around eventually. They would get married, have a kid or two, spend the rest of their lives together. He didn't know how their living situation would work, if Emma would even be willing to move to Cape Cod, but he believed in them and he knew they would find a way to make it.

But as the water in the compartment now rose to his neck, his dreams of a life with Emma washed away, never meant to be.

He pushed against the door once more, hoping and praying that the debris floated away as the water rushed against the boat. That last flame of hope was extinguished when again the wood wouldn't budge.

The water was rising higher now as Killian and John kicked furiously to stay afloat. Killian's head brushed against the ceiling of the compartment as the water reached past his chin. This was it. He thought only of _her_ in that moment. Of her golden locks, emerald eyes, bright smile, her humor, her ferocity, but also her softer side—he was going to miss it all, every single detail.

"Killian!" came a muffled sound above deck.

His eyes shot open as he was filled with hope. "Eric!" Killian cried before he took one final breath of air and was plunged beneath the icy waters.

He swam through the now entirely submersed compartment and grabbed ahold of the captain. He dragged the older man over to the door frame and pushed against the wood. _Come on, Eric. Come on._ He chanted over and over in his head. Eric would come through for him. He always had, his best mate. He would get him out of this jam.

Killian could hear the gurgled sound of yelling on the other side of the door as he continued to press against it. He eyed John at his side, illuminating him with the light beaming off the top of his mask. Killian squinted his eyes and he looked the man up and down for signs of distress. He could go another minute holding his breath if he absolutely had to, but he'd had training and practiced for years. The captain was another issue.

Finally, Killian heard a loud bang followed by a shout and the door burst open. He and John were swept out as the water forced them through the door and up to the almost totally submerged deck above.

Killian threw his head back and took a deep breath as he looked to the sky. The moon and the stars had never looked so bright, shone so beautifully in all his thirty years on this earth. His nose filled with the scent of salt and musk from the wooden ship as he reveled in the assault on his senses. _He was alive._

As soon as he got off duty, he was speeding over to his brother's house and pulling Olivia, Noah, Elsa, and hell, even Liam too, into a crushing hug. And then, he was rushing to Boston to tell Emma how he felt. He'd been waiting for her to say the words first, thinking she needed to be the one to make that important move. After this though, he needed Emma to know that he loved her more than anything in the world and that she'd changed his life, that she'd _saved_ his life in more ways than one.

He quickly turned his attention to the captain at his side, helping the man to his feet and making sure he caught his breath. Then, he turned to Eric and grabbed him tightly by the shoulder. "I have never been happier to see you in all my life, mate."

"You owe me one," Eric responded dryly before they both turned their attention to the sky. Seeing how perilous the situation was below, Tina and Robin flew in straight above the three remaining men aboard the vessel.

Killian grabbed ahold of the lowered basket as he and Eric helped the now incredibly weak and exhausted John inside.

Eric looked at Killian and nodded toward the basket. "Alright, you first."

"No, no. You go up first—"

"And you'll be right behind me? Yeah, I've heard that before," Eric spat as he glared over at Killian.

Killian shook his head in defiance. "We don't have time. You're stronger right now. You can help keep the captain steady. I'll be fine, I swear it."

Eric grumbled in frustration before firing back, "We're talking about this with Liam when we get back." He carefully helped the weakened captain in place before crawling into the basket beside him and giving Killian a worried look.

Killian gave the signal up to Smeeson and watched as the basket soared through the air. Eric had to hold John in place as the rough storm winds shook their basket around relentlessly. After a struggle, Smeeson was able to steady the basket and help Eric and the captain aboard before sending it back down to Killian.

The storm was getting worse, the winds becoming more and more violent, making it incredibly difficult for Killian to grab ahold of the bloody basket. After a few tries, as he became increasingly frustrated and nervous, Killian was finally able to catch it.

Killian forced his weakened body inside the basket, clutched onto the sides, and signaled for Smeeson to begin pulling him up.

The basket ascended slowly through the air as Smeeson fought to keep it steady against the wind and rain. Killian clutched fiercely against the slippery cable and basket sides, fighting to hold on as the storm winds hounded against it. A large crack, almost like the sound of a giant redwood simply snapping in half, echoed through the air followed by the creaking of metal. Killian looked out at the boat watching it slip beneath the waves as its large mast began falling… _in his direction_.

"Smeeson!" he shouted, staring up at the man above him and pointing out at the descending mast.

Eric peeked out over the edge of the open helicopter and yelled out in horror at the sight. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

The helicopter jerked up and out of the way, causing the basket to soar erratically through the air. Killian lost his grip and faltered for a moment before a gush of wind came along at just the right time, knocking him fully off balance and sending him tumbling over the edge.

"Killian!" Eric cried as he leaned forward and instinctively reached his hand out for his friend. The effort was in vain as they were many meters apart.

As he was falling through the air, Killian saw Eric above, his hand outstretched over the helicopter edge and a look of horror in his eyes. Killian's sight was then blocked as the ship's large mast came tumbling down toward him. He hit the water with a forceful smack, sending ripples of pain throughout his body. He stared ahead and saw the mast rushing down, nearly on top of him, but Killian couldn't move.

Suddenly, there was sharp cutting sensation in his head, as if someone was hammering into his skull, but it didn't last long. He felt himself sinking into the water below the surface as something heavy forced him down. Everything was black and warm and he felt peaceful.

* * *

 **Hang in there, folks. I promise there's a happy ending... _eventually._**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Wow! I am overwhelmed by the reviews of the last chapter. I don't know that I've ever been so happy to get yelled at by so many people. I know I'm a broken record, but I deeply appreciate all the support and encouragement I get from you, my readers. You make the writing process truly amazing.**

 **We're still in our angst phase, but there is a fluffy ending in the future. Until then, stay tuned for a possible second update later in the week!**

* * *

Emma awoke to the buzz of her phone. She groaned and rubbed her tired eyes as she rolled over in bed to peek at the clock on her nightstand, which read _5am_. She considered pretending to sleep through the ringing because the only person calling at this hour would be David, summoning her to a crime scene. She lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, but ultimately her guilt and sense of duty got the better of her. She plucked the phone from the nightstand and squinted to read the name flashing across the screen: Liam Jones.

 _Liam._ Why on Earth would— Liam had never called her before, and if he ever did so, he certainly wouldn't call at this hour. His name across her phone screen could only mean one thing.

She placed her thumb over the green button, hovering as she stared down at the name, but couldn't bring herself to accept the call. She just wanted to ignore him, go back to bed and wake up to find Killian safe and sound next to her.

After a moment to collect her courage, she sat up and forced herself to press the button, bringing the phone up to her ear and taking a deep breath. "Liam," was all she could muster. She wanted to scream. _Why are you the one calling me and not your brother? Is he alright? What happened to Killian? Where is he? Tell me he's alright._ Liam's voice sounded over the other line, answering the questions rattling around in her mind.

"Emma, lass, there was an accident. You need to get down here." The rest of a call was a blur. She only remembered asking what hospital before she hung up the phone. She didn't cry. She didn't allow herself to feel anything, instead pushing out all thoughts and feelings as she threw on whatever clothes she found lying on the floor, grabbed her purse, and raced to her car.

She sped to Cape Cod, faster than she'd ever driven before. Perks of being a detective, she could likely get herself out of a speeding ticket if she needed to, not that any police officer would have the opportunity to write one if the poor bastard had the misfortune of pulling her over in this frantic state.

Her plan to avoid feeling, push out the pain, lasted all of five minutes once she got on the highway and was headed to the hospital. She cried and she yelled and she hit her steering wheel and she cried some more.

She was sad and she was scared and she was worried and frantic and completely lost. He was the most important person in her life, and now he was lying in some hospital bed fighting for his own. _Was he in pain? Did he understand what was happening? Was he scared? Were the doctors letting family see him?_ She hated the idea of him being alone. Emma pressed on the gas as she honked at someone going _under_ the speed limit. She needed to be at the hospital. She needed to see him, see that he was alright, trace the scar along his cheek and press a kiss against his forehead and tell him how much he means to her.

And then, once he was healed, she needed to punch him in the face for almost dyi— _for scaring her like this_. She was so angry at him she could scream.

Though, if she was being honest, the real person she was angry with was herself.

 _This was her fault._ This was entirely her own doing, and she was pissed at herself for allowing it to happen. For months now, Emma knew she had gotten too close to happiness, family, companionship. This was reality's cruel way of knocking, _banging_ , on her door and reminding her of the lonely, painful fate that awaits those who open themselves up to love, up to something real.

When her phone buzzed at 5am with Liam's number flashing across the screen, _she knew_. She knew this bubble, this perfect idea of a future, maybe even a family, with Killian had been ridiculous, stupid, naïve, and dangerous, and now, as she clutched the steering wheel, cheeks stained with her tears, she knew she was about to witness a firsthand account of its ruin.

She pushed those thoughts aside and focused on getting to the hospital. Her feelings were irrelevant. All that mattered right now was making sure that Killian was okay. She would deal with the aftermath once she knew he was safe. Whatever happened later, Emma could deal with it. Right now though, as her heart threatened to burst from her chest, she just needed to know that the man she loved, _with her entire being_ , was alive. She just couldn't picture herself living in a world without Killian Jones.

When she arrived at the hospital, she rushed inside and startled the exhausted receptionist with her frantic demand for information. As soon as she was told where to find the waiting room, Emma took off, practically jogging through the halls of the hospital.

The waiting room was bare for a hospital. There were a few groups of families gathered together, but the place was quiet, eerily so for what was normally a bustling hospital. Emma spotted a familiar group huddled together near the center of the room. Liam was standing against the wall, a stoic look in his eyes as he clenched his fists at his side. Elsa was sitting next to him, weeping. The sight made Emma's stomach drop. Elsa was much like herself— she didn't care to show her emotions to others. If Elsa was crying, the situation was bad. Next to her was Tina, still in her uniform, squeezing Elsa's hand and rubbing soothing circles against the woman's back as she tried to console her. Finally, Eric was sitting next to Tina, arms crossed over his chest, gaze cast purposely to the ground.

He was the first one to look up and spot Emma as she approached. Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Eric had jumped up from his chair and wrapped her in a tight hug.

The entire group then turned their attention to her arrival. "Is he okay?" Emma asked, trying her best to keep her voice from trembling.

Tina spoke up, reporting the situation as coolly as if she was addressing one of her commanding officers. "He's stable. He had a nasty hit to the head. There also appears to be some broken ribs, but those aren't of much concern right now. He's unconscious and the doctor is monitoring his condition."

Emma furrowed her brow and shook her head in confusion. "What does that mean?" she demanded. "Will he be okay?"

"The doctor expects there to be a concussion, but she's keeping an eye out now for internal bleeding. That's what she's most worried about," Tina whispered, wringing her hands together as she frowned.

"Oh my god," Emma murmured, more to herself than the group.

"Emma, I'm so glad you're here. I know he'd want you here," Elsa cried as she pushed through Eric and Tina to wrap Emma in a tight hug.

"Are the kids okay? Is there anything I can do?" Emma asked.

Elsa pulled away and wiped her eyes as she began to calm down. "They don't know. We figured it was best to let them sleep. Ariel rushed over with Reed to watch them."

Emma nodded in understanding before she turned her attention to the entire group. "What happened?"

"I think we could all use some coffee," Eric noted as he looked from Elsa to Liam to Tina. "Why don't you help me get it for everyone, Emma, and I'll explain," he suggested as he beckoned her to follow him across the room.

Once they were away from the group, Eric told her about the fishing boat, the intense rescue, the stubborn captain, and Killian nearly drowning. Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, his fall from the basket and the collapse of the mast.

"It came down right on top of him, hitting him in the head and sending him down into the sea." Eric's voice cracked as he looked off in the distance, clearly replaying the painful events in his head.

Emma felt her stomach lurch at the account. She couldn't get the image of him falling, being forced down into the water by a mast, out of her mind. The only consolation she had was the fact that he was in the hospital now getting the medical care he needed. _Wait, if he fell from the basket…_ "How did he get here?"

Eric glanced up from the coffee machine and shrugged his shoulders. "I dove back in after him and found him by," he paused and grimaced, making it a point not to meet Emma's stare. "Well, there was a lot of blood in the water, so he was pretty easy to spot," Eric explained before quickly continuing. "Anyway, Smeeson helped me tend to him while aboard until we could get him here."

"Thank you," she intoned as she walked over to take his hand in her own, "for rescuing him _twice_ tonight."

"He's my best friend, and as you know, he's saved me before," Eric responded as he returned a sad smile.

She helped him gather the coffee, but as she turned to leave the small kitchenette located off the waiting room, his cracked and hoarse voice beckoned her back.

"But a lot of this was my fault," he admitted as he fumbled with a stray coffee cup lid, his face laden with guilt.

"No, not at all," Emma insisted as she walked back to join him. He'd rescued Killian twice that night. There was nothing to regret.

Eric shook his head and countered in a pained voice, "Yes, I should have forced him to go up first. He was already exhausted from being trapped below deck. I should have fought harder."

"He's stubborn," Emma argued. She had no doubt Killian wouldn't go up and leave Eric in that storm.

Eric nodded in agreement before a bitter laugh escaped his lips. "You know, I realized something tonight," he began as he turned to Emma. "Killian has gotten so insistent that I'm the first rescuer up during our missions, but he wasn't always. We used to take turns."

She furrowed her brow at that. "What changed?"

" _Reed_ ," he remarked with sheer certainty before explaining. "I went over it in my head, and he started acting this way right after I returned from paternity leave."

Emma's face fell as realization set in. "Well, he knows what it's like to lose a parent at sea."

They were plunged into silence after that, until Eric finally mumbled, "Let's get this coffee back before it turns cold."

* * *

There was nothing to say, nothing to do, except wait for an update. The five sipped their coffee quietly and sat together hoping, _praying_ the doctor would arrive soon with good news. An hour, maybe more passed, and still no word. Liam excused himself and headed down the hall, likely in search of a restroom. He hadn't spoken much since Emma had arrived. She wanted to seek him out, see if he was alright, but she decided to give him some time first.

The group was absolutely morose, a sad sight for any passersby, when Tina finally piped up. "Have I ever told you about the time I got the flu?" she asked the remaining party, turning her gaze to each person and smiling when they all nodded 'no.'

She then regaled them with a heartwarming and quite hilarious account of the event. Just a few weeks after she had been transferred to the Cape Cod base, she had woken up feeling absolutely dreadful. She went into work anyway, eager to prove herself to her new commanding officer, Liam, but was sent home.

"I didn't have any friends in the area, as I'd just moved here, so I was left to take care of myself. Before I know it, I hear this knock at my door," Tina explained.

It was Killian, of course it was. The frown that had been marring Emma's face all morning softened at Tina's story. Apparently, he'd held her hair when she threw up and made her soup, always the gentleman. Emma couldn't help but laugh when Tina mentioned him force-feeding her jello. God, what was it with that man and jello? Anytime he was sick, he requested the typical saltine crackers, ginger ale… _and then jello_.

She felt a sense of pride as Tina finished her tale, explaining that Killian spent his days off work checking up on her and making sure his new friend was alright. He'd even gotten addicted to her favorite soap opera during the ordeal, which reminded Emma of an awkward encounter they had a few months back. She walked in on Killian and Peter watching soaps together in the living room. When she started to tease him, _because really_ , he swore up and down that he'd simply been flipping channels when she arrived. _Right._ What a dork. Her dork. Her dork that better wake up soon before she absolutely went mad with worry.

By the end of Tina's story, Emma, Eric, and Elsa were all laughing as they reminisced and shared their own fun stories about Killian.

After more time passed, Elsa looked around before noting in a worried voice, "Liam has been gone for a while. I know he's not taking this well."

"Why don't I go talk to him?" Emma offered as she rose from her seat.

Elsa nodded back as Emma set off in search. He wasn't at the vending machines or in the kitchenette area. She checked the nearest restroom, forcing some random man to go in and look for him, but Liam wasn't there either.

She began to roam the adjacent hall when she heard a muffled sob come from a tucked away corner. Emma cautiously approached and found Liam sitting on the ground, his head in his hands. He peered up at her and quickly wiped his eyes, but as he opened his mouth to speak, Emma simply held her hand up, silencing him.

She knew the other Jones brother quite well, so she expected Liam to brush off what she'd just seen, insist he was fine, and pull away.

She didn't want that, not today. Somehow, seeing someone else just as shaken and upset as her gave her a sense of relief. She knew Killian had so many people in his life who loved him.

She plopped down on the ground next to Liam, leaning her head against the wall and staring ahead as she waited for him to say something. They were quiet for a long time as Liam steadied himself.

Finally, after a few minutes, he cleared his throat to speak. "I was nine years old, nearly ten, when my mum and dad told me I had a little brother on the way," Liam began as he turned to Emma with a pained smile on his face that didn't quite meet his eyes. "I was less than thrilled. I had gotten used to being their only child, and then, after a decade, there was going to be another kid vying for their affection," he explained with a twinge of sadness in his eye.

Liam perked up as a note of happiness returned to his voice. "As soon as he was born, though, I was a goner. I remember arriving at the hospital to meet him, seeing this squirming, pink infant with dark black hair and bright blue eyes staring up at me." He paused at that taking a moment to remember the day. Emma sat patiently, happy to hear his story. She thought he was finished, but soon he continued his tale as he recounted, "He followed me everywhere. I was a teenager chasing after girls and running about with my friends, and that rambunctious tot was on me like a shadow." He chuckled softly at the thought, but the mirth soon vanished from his face.

"Then, right before I was set to move out of the house, my mum died, and my father took off, leaving me, a few months shy of eighteen, in charge of a seven-year-old," he explained as he shook his head bitterly. "God, I was so afraid. I remember crying in my room late one night, panicking over what to do, and suddenly, he crawls up onto my bed and takes my face in his little hands and says _'Don't worry, Liam. I'll take care of you.'_ " His voice caught in his throat as tears fell from his eyes.

Emma began to cry too because she just needed her sweet, caring, devoted Killian to be okay, more than anything. She placed her hand on Liam's shoulder and tried to console him, but to no avail.

"He's my little brother, but he's always been more than that. I brought him to the U.S., I took care of him, he's my responsibility, and—"Liam paused, running his hands through his hair anxiously as he finally turned to face Emma. "What am I going to do if he's not okay?"

She cast her gaze down at the hard floor beneath them, unsure of what to say. She didn't know what Liam would do if Killian didn't make it. What would any of them do? What would _she_ do? How could she even cope with losing the only man she'd ever truly, deeply loved? Against her best efforts, the thought threw her into another fit of tears as she pulled her knees against her chest and sobbed.

"Blazes, I'm sorry. I'm rattling on like a fool, and you're over here scared for the man you love. I should be the one comforting you right now," Liam exclaimed as he reached over to pull her into a hug.

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Liam," she whispered against his shoulder as she tried to calm down.

They sat quietly in their corner after that, neither saying a word as they simply took in the comfort of sharing each other's pain. They were exhausted—emotionally and physically—and they just needed a moment away from the rest of the group to breathe.

The silence was only broken some time later when Emma whispered, her voice laden with regret, "I never told him I loved him. Not once."

"He knows, Emma," Liam assured as he gently squeezed her hand. "He knows."

* * *

The morning passed slowly as the group waited together to hear news on Killian. They took turns pestering any nurse or doctor who walked past, but despite the hours since the accident, there was still no word. They ate their lunch in shifts, only sending a few at a time to the hospital cafeteria so there would always be someone around if by chance the doctor did arrive with an update.

It wasn't until later that afternoon that an exhausted doctor finally returned to the waiting room, her eyes scanning the various groups before she walked over to them.

"Are you the family of Killian Jones?" she asked as she peered from person to person.

"Yes," Emma practically screamed as she leapt from her chair to approach the doctor.

The woman smiled patiently and nodded. "He's stable and awake right now. He has a bad concussion; thankfully no internal bleeding. He also has a few broken ribs, but he's on the mend."

"Can we see him?" Elsa begged, desperation clear in her tone.

"Yes, but not too many visitors right now. I don't want him overwhelmed," the doctor insisted as she turned to lead them down the hall before adding, "And, family only, please."

Eric and Tina nodded in understanding as they sat down, fine with waiting until later to visit Killian. Emma felt her stomach drop at the threat of not being able to see him though. She just couldn't take anyone else's word for it. She needed to see him with her own eyes. Hold him. Know completely that he was alright. She was pulled from her thoughts at the gruff tone of Liam's voice.

"She's family," he insisted as he nodded to Emma, staring the doctor down, daring her to argue.

The doctor was silent for a moment as she looked at Emma before finally shaking her head. "Of course."

Liam, Elsa, and Emma followed after the woman through a few halls and up an elevator until they finally arrived outside of a hospital room. The doctor waved her hand to the room, gesturing that they enter before she left to give them their privacy.

"Lass," Liam offered as he extended his hand to the door.

Emma stared ahead, both anxious and fearful about what she would find awaiting her inside. She had absolutely no idea what state he would be in, and she needed a moment to prepare herself for the worst. "No, no. You two should go in first."

Liam opened his mouth to argue, but was silenced when Elsa grabbed him by the hand and practically dragged him behind her into the room.

Once the door was shut after them, Emma began pacing around the hallway, wringing her hands together as she nearly wore holes in the tiled floor. She wanted to see him so badly, but she didn't want to see him in pain or hurting. He would probably be bruised, cut up, bandaged. She needed to prepare herself because the last thing she wanted was to have him see her react poorly. All she wanted to do was comfort him— hold him in her arms and kiss him and tell him she loved him and that she was never letting go of him again.

Emma was left to fret and worry in the hall for a short while before the door creaked open and Elsa and Liam emerged.

"He's okay," Elsa offered. She was visibly happier, lighter with relief.

"He wants to see you," Liam added as he gauged Emma's reaction.

She nodded curtly in response before cautiously entering the room. She let out a breath of relief at the sight of Killian. He was laying in his hospital bed, propped up with a few pillows sporting his signature, toothy grin. He was cut up and bruised as she suspected. Still, the lively twinkle in his eyes let her know that he was alright. He wasn't the pale, weakened ghost she'd expected; he was still her Killian, and he was okay.

Emma's prior nervousness vanished upon the sight of him; she rushed across the room and carefully sat on the edge of his bed as she stroked his forehead. "Are you okay? Are you in pain?" she demanded in as soft a tone as she could muster.

He chuckled and leaned into her touch as he hummed, "I'm pretty well drugged at the moment, so I can't complain. Doctor says I'll heal up and be back to work in no time."

Emma frowned at that. If he noticed, he didn't say anything. Instead, Killian slowly raised his hand and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "How are you holding up, Swan?"

Emma huffed in response. "You're the one who gets hurt and you're asking how I'm doing?"

Killian chuckled then winced before quickly covering it up with a smile. She could tell he didn't want to upset her. "Aye."

Emma brushed her hand through his hair and quickly wiped away the tears now falling from her eyes. "I'm so mad at you," she choked as she glared down at him.

"Emma."

Her voice rose as she continued to cry. "How could you do that? Even before you fell from the basket, you almost got killed trying to go after that captain. You have your family, your friends—"

"You?" he added as he watched her, coolly awaiting a response.

"Yes, me. What would they do if something happened to you?" Emma asked as her voice cracked. "What would _I_ do if something happened to you?" she added, barely above a whisper.

Killian frowned and let out a sigh as he shrugged his shoulders. "That's a part of the job, love, but life goes on."

"No, life doesn't just 'go on' as if nothing happened— as if everything wasn't just destroyed," she cried as she gaped down at him. How could he even say that? How could he even suggest that life simply 'go on' without him in the picture? As if he were nothing, meaningless to her.

"Swan—"

She gritted her teeth as she yelled back. "I'm so mad at you, and I love you, and I can't believe you were so reckless," she fired as she tried to control her crying. Really, she wasn't exactly fierce or intimidating if she was _crying_ while she yelled at him.

They were silent for a moment as Emma began to calm down, wiping away her tears and catching her breath.

Killian simply stared up at her knowingly before reaching out to take her hand in his. "What was that second one again?" he asked with a cheeky grin across his face.

Emma pursed her lips and stared down at him. "I love you," she repeated begrudgingly. "I love you so much."

"You don't seem too happy about that," Killian noted, careful to keep his expression neutral.

"Of course I'm happy about it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier; it's just that—" she sighed as she struggled to explain. "I just wasn't supposed to fall in love. I wasn't supposed to let this happen."

Killian nodded, clearly trying to suppress a laugh before it got the best of him. "I'm sorry, but this isn't exactly a _new_ thing. You've been baking brownies for my niece's soccer games, teaching my sister-in-law to play tennis, and spoiling my cat for months. I think you've loved me for a while now, Emma."

She rolled her eyes before chuckling as well. She knew she had it bad. Part of her knew all along. "You're right. You're always right," she admitted before her smile faded. Emma paused, closing her eyes and biting her lip as she took a deep breath. "I'm going to lose you just like the others. I can't lose you too. You're different. You mean too much to me," she confessed, and with that, the multitude of emotions she'd been feeling all day came crashing down. She burst into tears and leaned forward, careful to avoid his hurt ribs as she rested her head against his shoulder. She cried even harder when he wrapped his arm around her, holding her to him. For a time that morning, that awful morning, she thought he'd never hold her again.

"I love you, Emma," Killian whispered against her hair as he pressed a gentle kiss to her head. "Don't worry. You're not going to lose me. We'll work this out."

Emma stayed quiet as she nuzzled against him, fighting the pang in her heart that told her he was wrong. She knew he was wrong, she knew what came next, and she was absolutely devastated.

* * *

 **I'm sorry. I know this one was painful too! Hang in there.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: If true love was easy, we would all have it.**

* * *

Killian continued to heal over the passing weeks, which was a relief to Emma. Even though her gut twisted and her heart hammered at the thought of what she knew was inevitable; at least she could breathe a sigh of relief and know that he was alive and he was safe. That was her first priority.

Though Killian was healing well, getting better and better with each day, Emma found herself getting worse as the time passed. Another day gone meant another day closer to Killian returning to work, and that meant he would be in danger again. She was haunted by the image of him nearly drowning in that fishing boat, being forced into the gripping ocean waters by the mast of the ship. She hadn't gotten a good night's rest since the accident, her dreams plagued with visions of him drowning, Liam showing up on her doorstep with a sorrowful expression on his face.

Losing someone she loved was bad enough, but worse was the dread that she would inevitably, someday lose him to the sea.

She was angry. She was angry at the circumstance, at Killian, but mostly at herself. She told herself again and again not to open her heart for him, not to fall in love, and here she stood: broken. Again, it always happened like this, with Neal, with Walsh—she fell in love and then it fell apart, leaving her empty. She did this to herself, and now she was the one who needed to put a stop to it before she got hurt even more.

She stared at the empty box for an hour straight, warring with herself over what to do. She didn't want to do it, but she knew she had no other choice. She forced herself to fill it with the stray belongings he'd left at her apartment over the past months—a few shirts, a lone tie, Peter's toys. She placed it carefully in the passenger seat of her car and made the drive to Cape Cod. For the first time in her life, Emma Swan, a woman on the go, nearly always in a hurry, found herself driving well under the speed limit.

She used her key, the one he'd given her a few months ago, to let herself in the house. Then she dropped it into the box in her hands. She kicked off her shoes and hid the box in his coat closet; he'd find it after she'd left.

Emma tiptoed into the kitchen, eager not to be overheard as she placed a few groceries she bought for him, one last time, in the fridge, before heading into the living room.

"Emma, love, you look beautiful today," he beamed from his place on the couch. He'd spent most of his time since the accident resting on the couch, begrudgingly agreeing to while away the weeks reading and watching TV while he let his ribs heal.

She couldn't meet his gaze. Instead, she wrung her hands together and shrugged. "You always say that," she whispered. He always meant it. God, she wanted to turn around and go home right now, but she had to stay. She had to do this.

"You always look beautiful," he chimed before frowning as he continued. "I ran out of jello."

Emma gave him a sad smile as she nodded back. "I just put three packages in the fridge."

"Blazes, you're an angel. Come here," he beckoned as he offered her his hand.

Emma stayed put, standing awkwardly in front of the couch as she shifted on her feet. "Killian, we need to talk."

His face fell as he stared back at her cautiously. _He knew_. She could tell.

He gritted his teeth and smiled, that same smile she'd seen rarely before, the one he always used to mask his pain. "Alright, Emma, let's have it."

"I can't do this anymore," she blurted. Eager to just say it, force it out before her heart got the best of her and she simply ran into his waiting arms and told him everything was alright. Only it wasn't.

"Do what?" he asked, retaining a semblance of calm as he stared her down. His arms now crossed defiantly, protectively, across his chest.

Emma froze and bit her lip as she anxiously rubbed her hands against her jeans and sucked in a deep breath.

"If you think I'm going to make this easy for you, you're badly mistaken," he spat.

"I…I can't," she began as she took a breath and tried to stay the tears threatening to fall. "I can't see you anymore," she finally forced out in a cracked voice.

She watched, trying to hide her own trembling, her own absolute panic, as she saw him close his eyes to collect himself. "Why?" he asked as he shook his head in disbelief. "After all this time."

Emma was quiet, trying to formulate the words. How could she even begin to explain her worries, her fears, everything?

He grew impatient as he waited, causing his voice to rise in anger when he finally, demanded, "I deserve an explanation."

"Because I can't lose you, that's why," Emma yelled as she balled her hands into fists at her side and stared right back at him. "You nearly died and you're _excited_ to get back to work and put yourself in harm's way again. I can't just stick around and watch you die. I can't do it," she shouted getting more and more angry as she thought of him counting down the days to work, the days to when he would leave her again. "I can't lose you," she added in a low whisper. The fact that he was here now was an absolute miracle. Had Eric been a second later—

"This is your way of not losing me?" Killian huffed bitterly.

Emma sighed and shook her head as she calmed. "I don't expect you to understand."

"Oh, I understand all too well, but I don't think this has anything to do with my job or the fact that I nearly died," Killian fired with a note of skepticism in his voice. "I think you've been looking for an excuse to leave, to put a stop to this, _us_ , ever since you realized you love me," he argued as he stood up from the couch and walked towards her.

His voice was rising as he approached her, making Emma want to take a step back, shrink away from his pain, the pain she was causing him, but she forced herself to stay put and remain strong. Once he was right in front of her, just a few inches separating them, he continued in a softer, understanding tone. "You think you can't be happy, find love, but you're wrong."

Emma gasped as she fought to control her building emotions.

"Open book," Killian murmured as he gazed upon her face, his eyes full of sadness.

He was right. He was always right, but that didn't change anything.

"I'm sorry, Killian," Emma choked as she felt a tear roll down her cheek. "You should have this back," she stated as she reached up to fiddle with the clasp of her sapphire necklace, the one he'd given her on New Year's.

Killian shook his head and raised his hand for her to stop. "No, you keep it. To replace your old one," he began as he let out a disappointed sigh. "Except use this necklace as a reminder that the only thing keeping you from joy, happiness, _love_ is your own fear."

Emma's breath caught in her throat at his words. She was frozen in place for a moment, stunned, before she finally rushed passed him, running down the hall, hell-bent that he would _not_ see the tears freely falling from her eyes, though he did likely hear her soft sobs.

Once she was at the door, ready to slip out, she heard him calling after her from down the hall. "When you change your mind, Emma, well," he let out a sardonic chuckle and shook his head in disbelief. "Well, I'll take you back, no hesitation, _always_."

* * *

He didn't text her for a few days after the breakup, which only validated her cause. He clearly felt the same way she did, and she needed to move on.

Apparently, his resolve was short-lived, and when he did eventually break, the messages flooded in:

 _Swan, this is absurd. Call me and we'll work this out._

 _Emma, please, just talk to me._

 _I can't change my job, love, this is what I do, but I can promise you that you'll never lose me._

Eventually, after no replies, she saw him become more upset, more desperate.

 _Bloody hell, lass, we love each other. It can't end. Not like this._

And that was it—the last plea he sent her. She'd read it a hundred times over and on each viewing she cried as hard as the first time it crossed her screen.

She spent her weekend in mourning, holed up on the couch, snuggling with Lady as she spent most of her time in tears. By the time Monday rolled around, she put on her best stoic face, eager not to let her personal life interfere with her job, the one constant in her life.

She told David what happened, so naturally all her friends had been informed in a matter of hours. All of them— Kathryn, Mary Margaret, Ruby, even Jim and Victor—tried to stop by over the course of the week to check on her, only to be ignored until they finally gave up and went home.

She avoided David as much as possible at work, which was easier than she'd anticipated. Eventually though, once she'd settled in to spend her weekend grieving on the couch, she heard a loud bang on her door. She rolled her eyes in annoyance because she _knew_ it was David. They argued through the door for a few minutes before he threatened to break it down if she didn't open up; she believed him.

"I was really hoping you wouldn't do this, Emma," he said with a sigh as he sat with her on the couch and welcomed Lady into his lap.

"Do what?" Emma asked defiantly; she knew exactly what.

David absentmindedly scratched Lady's ears as he pursed his lips and glared at her from across the couch. "Push away the best man you've ever been with."

"It wouldn't have worked out," Emma insisted as she tried to keep a calm expression across her face. David had never, ever, been so supportive, understanding, and enthusiastic about one of her relationships. That didn't matter though. Regardless of David's approval, she made the right choice about Killian.

"Why not?" David challenged.

Emma gritted her teeth in frustration before spitting back, "I don't want to talk about it."

David was quiet as he mulled over his thoughts before he turned back to Emma in a softer, more sympathetic tone. "Please, Emma, make me understand. Talking about it might even help _you_ understand."

"He almost died, David. It's a miracle he didn't. What if he's not so lucky next time? Do you know how many missions he goes on in a week, in a month? A year? Each and every one could be the one that takes him from me," Emma explained in a shaky breath as she wiped away a few stray tears from her eyes.

"But he wasn't taken from you. _You_ broke up with him," David countered, clearly bewildered.

"It's different. I chose it. I simply won't love him," Emma insisted. She was determined, hell-bent, but not entirely confident at the same time.

David pursed his lips and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "If you keep harping on the bad moments in your life, Emma, all the people you've lost, you're going to miss the good moments as they pass you by." He reached across the couch to take her hand in his before giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"You think Killian was a good moment?" Emma mumbled as she stared down at their hands, refusing to meet his gaze.

"I think I've never seen you happier than you've been with him," David affirmed.

He was right, but she couldn't change how she felt. Emma burst into tears as David scooted across the couch to hold her in his arms. At least she'd always have him, her David, her partner in so much more than work, to support her.

She sniffled and cleared her throat as she whispered, to him, and to herself, " _I'm scared_."

* * *

"How did Liam and Elsa take the news?" Eric asked before taking a swig of his beer.

Killian sighed and signaled the bartender to refill his drink. Once it was refilled he slammed down his rum and licked his lips before wincing as he responded. "They were upset, disappointed. They encouraged me not to give up. They reacted just as I would expect them to, but," he paused and stared down at the bar as he fought to stay composed. "The kids overheard our conversation, and that wasn't pleasant. Olivia locked herself in her room and cried for an hour, and Noah…"Killian took another gulp of his rum to steady his nerves as he relived the awful moment. "He didn't say anything, but he just gave me this look like _'how could you do it, how could you send her away.'_ Bloody hell it was nearly worse than the breakup itself."

"She still loves you. You need to fight for her, Killian. I can't begin to understand what she's gone through, but from what you've told me, everyone she's ever cared about has left her. I'm sure nearly losing you was awful," Tina urged at his other side as she gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Aye, but I can't change my job." He understood Emma's fears, and part of him even understood why she was pushing him away. Still, being a rescue swimmer wasn't just a job, it was a part of him. He would happily give up anything for Emma, everything except that.

Tina nodded in understanding before she suggested, "Maybe you can show her that despite your job, you'll never leave her, you're in it for good. You owe it to yourself to at least try, Killian. She made you so happy, happier than I've ever seen you before."

Killian scrunched his brow in annoyance as he internally winced at that reminder. This wasn't why he came here. He wanted to drink and have fun with his friends, not wallow in self-pity. He'd already done enough of that. "I don't want to talk about Emma anymore. We came here to cheer me up, have a good time, let's do that," Killian growled before turning his attention to the bartender. "Another round on me."

Killian awoke slowly, wincing at the throbbing in his head and carefully peeking open his eyes. When he came to his senses, he noted from the tiled floor beneath him that he was lying on the ground in the bathroom— _the upstairs one with light green paint instead of tacky wallpaper_. He lifted himself up by holding onto the toilet for support before resting his head against the seat. He'd finally managed to make himself feel as physically ill as he'd been feeling emotionally for the last few days.

Tina was staring daggers at him from her place leaned against the tub beside him. She had her arms crossed over her chest and a look on her face that would terrify even the fiercest man. Eric was another story. He was sitting against the door, playing with Peter and watching, probably waiting to see if Tina would murder Killian.

She didn't. Instead, she simply shook her head in disappointment before uttering calmly, "You need to get her back, Killian. Soon."

He felt his stomach lurch as he leaned over the toilet bowl.

"I know."

* * *

Weeks passed. She stopped crying herself to sleep, but she still felt a constant ache, a hole in heart. She thought about him all the time, despite her best efforts. A song, a joke, a movie reference, even a smell—the smallest thing would remind her of him. She found Peter's favorite toy, a bell, when she was cleaning under the couch. That had been a bad day.

She'd almost called him three times. Pressing his name on her contacts and hovering over the call button as she warred with herself. Still, in the end, she always clicked off the phone and tossed it aside, deciding against the call. Killian was the warmest, most selfless person she'd ever known, and he deserved to be with someone who was just open and whole, not the broken, love-fearing orphan who broke his heart. He was better off without her.

Her friends helped her get through the rough patches. The girls didn't pressure her to open up the way David had. There were no deep conversations or lectures. Maybe he'd warned them against it. Actually, knowing her friends, that was exactly the reason. All the same, they'd been quite happy to help her get over the breakup with other means. Once she began seeing visitors again, a very pregnant Mary Margaret, Kathryn, and Ruby stopped by with ice cream, rom coms, and Alanis Morissette CDs to begin the healing process, and if anything, their company and support had truly helped.

For the most part, she was doing well, or at least she told herself she was, as she kept busy with work and her friends. She helped Ruby throw a baby shower for Mary Margaret which was quite successful. The gang finally found out they'd all be babysitting a little boy in the coming months. Emma spent a lot of time with Kathryn too, or at the boutique with Ruby.

She was okay.

 _Life goes on_ , just as he'd said, she thought bitterly.

All was relatively fine until one night, as she was crawling into bed, her foot knocked a box poking out from beneath the bedframe, which she'd filled with all her pictures of Killian and his family. As she stared down at the now revealed brown box, she felt conflicted. She missed him. She hadn't seen or spoken to him in a month. She just wanted to peek and see a glimpse of him, just for one second. But that was a bad idea and it would only cause her pain.

She was doing the right thing. He was going to leave her just like Neal and Walsh. Just like her parents, the Swan family who raised her briefly, the few friends she'd made in various foster homes—everyone left. If she pushed him away, though, if she chose not to be with him, not to love him, then it wouldn't hurt as badly. How could it when it was her choice? She was calling the shots, and she was protecting her heart. At least, that was what she told herself. A pang in her chest that refused to go away sometimes argued otherwise.

She caved. She opened the box and combed through all the pictures, crying in bed as she missed him and the rest of them: Liam, Elsa, Olivia, Noah. Opening the box had been a bad idea. If she was smart, she would just throw away all the pictures, close that door to her past forever.

She stowed the box away in an empty cabinet in the kitchen.

She could always throw it away tomorrow.

* * *

 **I know we didn't see much from Killian's perspective in this chapter, but we'll delve into our dashing rescue swimmer's thoughts in 21.**

 **Until then, stay tuned, and fear not: Emma won't be closing any doors. She'll be opening them soon enough.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: As always, thank you all for your encouragement and support! Your kind words mean the world to me.** **Special shout-out to _afh105_ for always leaving such incredibly thoughtful and in-depth reviews. After reading your review of chapter 20, I was actually inspired to write an additional scene for this chapter. Thank you for the inspiration and support!**

* * *

When Milah left, Killian was heartbroken, devastated, _alone_.

He'd lost his child, his wife, his own family all in one fell swoop. He was angry; he punched a hole in his bedroom wall, and then had to spend the effort patching up the bloody eyesore. He was sad; he slept on the couch for weeks, unable to stay in the bedroom they'd shared together for the longest time. After he grieved and experienced all other emotions known to man, he ultimately arrived at understanding and acceptance.

Deep down he knew, he always just _knew_ , that Milah wasn't the one. They were fun and exciting and brilliant together, but to their cores, they were too different, wanted completely different lives, and so she left. Eventually, he went back into their bedroom and made it his own with the hope that one day he would open his life and his heart to another.

Time passed, he redecorated the house, turned it into his own happy man-cave of sorts, buying furniture Milah would never have allowed into the house. He filled it with plants to care for to feel a sense of comfort and company. He spent his days off with his friends, growing closer to Tina who had never been Milah's greatest fan. He threw himself into being an uncle, taking even more pride and pleasure in his activities with Olivia and Noah. Soon, the ache in his heart faded away until he'd forgotten it altogether. Thoughts of love, devotion, family, pushed into the back of his mind.

Until he met _her_.

A fierce, selfless lass who ordered him to help her friends first despite the fear in her eyes and the abusive waves assaulting her body. He almost lost her to the sea, but he sped off after her, feeling an urge, a _need_ , to save that lass stronger than he'd ever felt with another mark before her or to follow. The greatest sense of relief he'd ever felt was when he saw her wet, blonde tresses floating in the water, signally him over to her, and then he found her alive, _thank God_ , awaiting his rescue. She gave him her number. He wanted to call her as soon as she sped off in that cab, but he needed to wait a day, at least, remain cool, collected, _detached_.

He came home that night after a long shift, hurt by the silence, emptiness awaiting him. The lack of noise, of people, awaiting his return home screamed at him like it had never before. He fell asleep that night thinking of blonde hair and witty banter, a smile on his face and a flame of hope in his heart that he once thought had been extinguished forever had finally returned.

They were the best eleven months of his life, and he was haunted by that fact as he packed away the painful memories strew across his home. He tucked away her key to the house, the one she'd returned to him previously, in a drawer, hoping to never seen the damned thing again.

Pictures. She loved to take pictures, and over their time together, his house had collected copies of her photographs. Pictures of them at the batting cages, boating with their friends, making snowmen with Olivia and Noah—all reminders of a lost chance, a tease of how close he came to having it all.

He took them all down, every last one, carefully placing them in a box and hiding them away in a dark closet where they couldn't hurt him anymore.

When Milah left, Killian was heartbroken, saddened, alone, but he healed with the knowledge that their divorce was for the best.

When Emma left, he was shattered, devastated, _empty_. This time he knew, without doubt, that he would never love again. That his last chance, his best chance, was lost to him.

* * *

Killian was lying on his couch his hair sticking up in all directions from where Peter's sandpaper tongue had assaulted him. He was exhausted, more emotionally than physically, despite his inactivity for the day. All he'd done for weeks was _mope_ and erase any evidence of Emma's presence from the house.

He glanced at the mantle above the fireplace and felt a knot tug in his heart at its bareness. He missed the pictures that used to stand there. Mostly though, he missed the _photographer_ that had taken those pictures. He felt awful, miserable, defeated. Worse was the thought that there would be no reprieve to his sorrows.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Peter who had taken to kneading at his shoulder. Killian rolled over to plop the little pest down on the ground, and as he did, he looked up to find three figures towering over him.

" _Bloody hell_ ," he cried in shock at the unexpected, and unannounced, visitors. "What are you all doing here?" he asked as he sat up and stared back at them.

Tina piped up first as she strolled around to plop down on the couch beside him. "We were going to knock but," she paused and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, we didn't think you'd let us in."

Killian turned his gaze to Ariel and Eric and landed on a pile of board games in his mate's arms. "What's that you've got there?"

Eric casually looked down to read off the games. "Trivial Pursuit, Scene It, and Jeopardy the board game," he announced.

"You guys _hate_ playing trivia games with me," Killian accused as he narrowed his eyes and grimaced. He knew they wanted to cheer him up, and he appreciated that. They were only doing this because they felt sorry for him. "Listen, I appreciate the sentiment. I do. But I don't need your pity, and I'm not up for company."

"Now you listen up Killian Jones," Ariel scolded as she put a covered tray she'd brought down on his coffee table before placing her hands on her hips. "I paid a babysitter, I put on makeup, I am staying here and drinking _two_ beers while I spend the entire night nodding along to your obscure trivia facts because I love you," she yelled, her voice rising with each word.

She paused and took a breath as her sweet exterior returned. "Do you have any other objections?"

Killian exchanged a horrified glance with Eric before he gulped and answered, "Can we start with Trivial Pursuit?"

"Yes! Here," Ariel announced with a squeak as she retrieved her tray from the table. "I made peanut butter cookies: your favorite."

They were good people, his friends, and he was bloody lucky to have them. They drank beers and munched on Ariel's delicious dessert while he absolutely decimated them in all three trivia games. They were quite patient when he scolded them all for guessing that the capital of Scotland was Glasgow and not Edinburgh. Their ignorance of basic Alfred Hitchcock movie plots was also quite dismaying, but he kept those thoughts to himself. Besides, by the time those questions appeared on Scene It, Ariel had already finished her first, _and only_ , beer and was currently keeled over from a paralyzing fit of giggles.

The breakup was the elephant in the room, no one daring to mention Emma or the split. Instead, most of their conversation revolved around anecdotes of a fast-growing Reed and Killian's upcoming return to work. Soon though, after Killian won multiple rounds in all three games and Ariel had sobered, the group became well aware of the passing time. Eric and Ariel offered their goodbyes, insisting that they needed to go home and relieve their babysitter by midnight.

Killian walked them to the door, and as they were saying their final farewells, Ariel leaned in to whisper in his ear, _"we are always here for you,"_ before placing a kiss against his cheek and heading home.

With their friends gone, Killian and Tina broke out more beers and settled on the couch to watch a few saved episodes of their favorite soap. They took turns entertaining Peter with his mouse teaser toy, talking mostly about the convoluted plot playing out before their eyes, before Tina finally gathered the courage to address the issue at hand.

"So how are you doing?" Tina asked in a sing-song voice meant to mask her own nerves.

Killian pursed his lips and remained focused on the TV. "I thought we had an unsaid rule we weren't talking about _that_ tonight?"

"We don't have to, but I'm here to listen if you want," Tina offered.

Killian frowned as he mulled over her words. Finally, he flipped off the TV and turned to address her. "It's not going well. I think I've made the worst mistake of my life," he stated as he fixed his gaze downward toward Peter in his lap.

"You didn't make a mistake, Killian. This isn't your fault—"

Killian cut her off as he continued, finally able to vocalize the thoughts that had been running rampant through his mind. "Maybe I could have fought harder, tried something else to get her back."

"' _Fought,' 'tried,'_ you're talking as if the fight is lost," she scolded as she scoffed in disbelief.

He winced, his tone oozing defeat, "What does this look like to you? It's been _weeks_ , Tina."

"Emma's a smart girl, and she's madly in love with you. She'll come around. Until then, don't beat yourself up," Tina insisted as she rested her hand against his shoulder, trying to offer her friend some semblance of comfort. "Besides, she's the one that broke up with you. This is her mistake, not yours."

Killian let out a sardonic chuckle as he shook his head, "That doesn't make it feel better."

"Of course not," Tina agreed before continuing with a thoughtful note in her voice. "I still think you'll end up together," she reassured with complete confidence.

He rolled his eyes and gave her a skeptical frown. "If you're so certain, why don't you wave your magic wand and tell me how it'll happen."

Tina chuckled and shook her head as she snatched the remote back and flipped on the TV. "Well, you met in a pretty unusual way. I imagine you'll be reunited in a similarly unique fashion."

Killian frowned, clearly unconvinced. "We'll see about that."

* * *

Getting back to work, _real work_ , helped ease the ache in his broken heart. He'd been stuck at home, surrounded by reminders of Emma as his broken ribs healed, for far longer than he liked. Liam let him come back to work a week early with the stipulation that he wasn't allowed to go out on a rescue, which meant he was relegated to amateur tasks such as fetching stranded boaters who ran out of gas off the coast.

He was relieved and nervous when Liam finally gave him the green light to embark on proper rescue missions again. His first one back was a great success. Despite his anxiousness, he and Eric managed to rescue an inexperienced fisherman who'd strayed of course with no trouble. After a few runs, Killian felt as though his old confidence was back.

After completing another mission with Eric, Killian dragged his tired body through the hangar to the showers. Once he was cleaned off and ready to head home after a long night, he was summoned into Liam's office. _Captain wants to see you, Chief._

Blast their dammed ranks. He couldn't tell _Captain_ to bugger off.

"Liam, I'm bloody exhausted. I want to go home," Killian scowled as he plopped down in the chair opposite Liam and glared across the desk separating them.

His brother kept his face neutral, acting as if he hadn't heard a word while he shuffled a pile of papers in front of him.

"Your first week back to rescuing is going well?" Liam asked as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

Killian nodded back as he drummed a stray pen against the desk. "Aye. It's good to be back at it," he began before quietly offering, "helps take my mind off…things."

Liam pursed his lips into a straight line. Instead of offering some dribble about 'it getting easier with time' or 'you'll find someone else' because his brother knew better, he simply cleared his throat and continued.

"Here," Liam began as he handed Killian a document. "Sign and date these medical forms for me. They just say you've healed up and are back to peak physical condition," he ordered. "Then, you're free to go."

Killian rolled his eyes as he skimmed the dense report. Damn the military with all their absurd paperwork. He signed his name along the appropriate line before turning to the blank line next to it. "What's today's date?" he asked as he glanced up from the paper to peek around his brother's desk.

"You can't remember the day to save your life," Liam scolded before flipping his desk calendar around and pointing for Killian to see.

Killian glanced at the date and scribbled it on the report before he froze in place, his pen nearly ripping a hole through the paper. He swallowed hard and leaned back in the chair, rubbing his hand over his face as the date ran through his mind, mocking him.

"What's the matter?" Liam asked as his brow scrunched with worry.

Killian took a deep breath as he stared down at the desk calendar, fighting to keep the pain from his voice. "A year ago today I responded to a distress call from a personal vessel carrying four souls caught in a storm."

Liam huffed as he shook his head in confusion. "Yeah, you responded to a call like that _yesterday_ too, so?"

"Emma was on board," Killian blurted, plunging them into silence.

Liam grimaced as he rubbed his eyes and thought over what to say. "You've had a long shift. Why don't you stop over at the house for a bite to eat, play with the kids for a while, and then head home to rest," he suggested as he gave his brother an apologetic, forced smile.

Killian nodded solemnly as he rose from his seat and headed for the door. He was grateful to have Liam, Elsa, the kids, in his life. He would be lost without his family, but still, there was a pang in his heart, one that threatened to linger forever, that told him that he'd met the woman of his dreams—the woman he was meant to love, adore, cherish until the day he died, the woman he was meant to marry, start a family with, live out the great dream.

The woman that was lost to him forever.

* * *

She couldn't remember when she 'got over' Neal and Walsh. Both breakups had been too long ago and were times in her life that she purposely tried to forget. In retrospect, she wondered if she truly had grieved for the loss of Neal and Walsh or if she simply missed the companionship and care involved in a romantic relationship.

With Killian it was different. She wasn't mourning just for the loss of their relationship. She missed _him_. His understanding eyes, his sweet dimples, his laugh, the feel of his soft lips against hers, the lopsided and satisfied grin he always wore after they made love. She missed his vast trivia knowledge, his protectiveness over his plants, his utmost devotion to his cat-son. She missed Killian more than she'd ever missed another person in her life, which was saying something considering Emma had lost so many loved ones over the years. Still, after every loss, no matter how painful, she eventually healed. The pain ebbed away until a simple, haunting scar remained in its place. Something deep in her gut told her that again Killian would be different. That the pain simply wouldn't fade with time, but would remain an open, festering wound, that she would be left forever with an unwavering ache in her heart, a hole left by his absence.

Some days were better than others. Work helped take her mind off the breakup and kept her distracted. She took to arriving at the station bright and early, usually one of the first detectives in the office, ready to begin her duties.

Today, as she clutched a cup of coffee and headed to her office, she ran into David in the hallway.

"Did you and Mary Margaret have a nice anniversary this weekend?" she asked with a quirk of her eyebrow and a cheeky smile.

She knew they had. The entire gang went to great efforts to make sure their second anniversary would be special. Mary Margaret had been reading every baby book written and had been spending all her free time scrambling to prepare the nursery. Everyone got together to make sure the two had a fun, relaxing night to take their minds off the stresses of their impending parenthood.

Kathryn had made them reservations at a high end restaurant downtown owned by one of her father's business associates, while Ruby and Emma helped her find the perfect dress at the boutique.

Upon striding up to the mirror to check out a silver dress the two had picked out, Mary Margaret burst into tears. "I look like a whale," she cried as she observed her protruding belly.

"I look like a _Whale_ in everything," Victor called from behind them as he chuckled at his own joke.

Emma turned around to absolutely strangle him, but stopped in place as Ruby yanked off her killer high heels and chucked them in his direction. "Not funny, Victor!"

He ran away, clutching his now wounded shoulder as he mumbled back an apology.

After trying on most of the other maternity dresses in the boutique, they finally found a winner: a flowing, olive green shift dress.

"We had an amazing time," David answered with a grateful smile. "Mary Margaret loved the restaurant. She really needed a nice night away from the baby plans."

Emma nodded in agreement as they arrived at his office. "You got here early," Emma noted as she followed him inside before her mouth fell in shock at the sight before her. "What have you been doing? she asked with a raised brow as she found his desk buried under a mound of papers. _Please God don't let those all be for just one case._

"Shredding papers." David huffed his reply as he shuffled through a stack on the corner of his desk. "I've let my records pile up for too long. Guess what I found," he prompted as he handed her a lone paper from the stacks.

Emma glanced over the document briefly, unable to make heads or tails of the ridiculous legal terminology before she gave up and asked. "What is this?"

"Insurance information. Can you believe we had our boating accident a year ago? Look at the date." David nodded down to the paper as he continued, " _Exactly_ a year ago."

Emma scanned the document before her eyes fell upon the date, and, sure enough, a year ago to the very day she had been rescued from the sea by—

"I met Killian a year ago today," Emma whispered, her eyes glued to the paper. She felt her chest constrict as her bottom lip quivered. How, in just a year's time, could someone go from being a complete stranger to being the most important person in her life? Most important person now _out of_ her life.

Realization set in as David put down the small stack of papers he was holding. He let out a long, apologetic sigh. "Oh, Emma, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking, I—"

"It's no big deal," Emma cut in as she shook her head and took a step back. "Listen, I'm not feeling well. I think I'm going to go home for the today," she insisted quickly as she turned to head for the door.

"Emma," David called as he took a cautious step toward her.

"I'm fine," she called back as she rushed from the room and down the hall.

She would just use one of her sick days. After all, they would pile up, considering she no longer had a reason to miss work anymore.

Some days were better than others.

This was not one of them.

* * *

As soon as Killian entered his brother's cozy abode, he was met with the lofting scent of turkey, avocado, and _treachery_.

He trudged into the kitchen and plopped down at the island across from where Elsa was preparing a sandwich, his favorite. "You were expecting me," Killian accused as he crossed his arms over his chest and let out an offended huff.

"Liam called," Elsa explained as she slid a plate with a delectable turkey sandwich placed neatly in the middle.

"Wanker."

She gave him an understanding smile as she eyed him carefully. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Killian shrugged as he took a bite out of the sandwich and let out a small moan of appreciation. Alright, maybe he was being a little tough on Liam. His heart had been in the right place, and the sandwich made up for his meddling.

"Not particularly, but I have a feeling we're going to talk about _'it'_ anyway," he noted with a defeated grimace.

"It's nearly been a month now, since the brea—well, you know," Elsa faltered as she broached the topic. "Do you feel any better?"

"Nope."

Her lips pressed into a tight line as she frowned. "You will. Your pain will ease with time."

Killian shook his head in disagreement, firing back bitterly. "Time heals nothing."

"Fair," Elsa conceded before she challenged right back, "What are you going to do about it then?"

He shook his head in defeat as he swallowed the last of his sandwich. "Nothing. Emma doesn't want to see me anymore. What is there to do?"

"Do you remember what you told me the night before you left for Chicago?"

Killian closed his eyes and let out a pained breath as the memories flooded in. He knew exactly which night, and what words, Elsa was referencing. A few days after Milah left him and returned home to her native Chicago, Killian decided to follow after, show up at her doorstep with grand declarations of eternal love in hopes of getting her back. Liam tried to talk him out of it, always knowing better, but Killian couldn't be reached. He stood firm, announcing resolutely _'A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.'_

And so he went.

He returned a day later, out the money for a plane ticket, alone.

"Well?" Elsa prompted, jarring him from his thoughts.

"This is different," Killian insisted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Elsa's expression soured as she gazed at him skeptically. "Have you ever wanted anything, _anyone_ , more than Emma?"

Killian's tough exterior faltered at her unnerving question. His mouth fell agape as she stared up at her, racking his brain for some sort of counterargument, even though his heart knew Elsa was right.

He was saved from having to argue back when he caught sight of a flash of yellow out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see Olivia, donning a bright yellow dress, peeking in the kitchen archway.

 _How long had she been standing there? Had she overheard them?_ Maybe it was best for the lass to hear the truth. He didn't want his niece getting her hopes up that Emma would return.

His worries were soon eased when she beamed up at him and Elsa, perhaps a little too sweetly. "I just heard the ice cream truck go by. I've been really good. Can I get some, please?" she asked.

So that was her objective— conning them into buying her sweets. He let out a relieved chuckle and placed a kiss against her head as he shifted on his stool. He pulled his wallet from his pocket and plucked out a bill for his niece. "Here, lass. All I have is a twenty, so bring back change," Killian ordered as he gave her the money and watched her run off. "And get some for your brother too," he yelled as she sped off after the truck.

"You're a very good uncle," Elsa commented.

"Thanks."

She reached across the island and placed her hand gently over his as she assured, "If it's meant to be, you'll find your way back to each other."

He was quiet for a moment as he mulled over her words. "Do you think we're meant to be— Emma and me?" he whispered, both hopeful and afraid of her impending answer.

"What does your heart tell you?"

Killian let out a dry laugh in response. "That it'll take a miracle."

Elsa smiled as she shook her head confidently. "Just a leap of faith."

* * *

Her coffee table was littered in empty ice cream cartons and tissues. Netflix was playing on her TV— a dumb, mindless comedy— that Emma wasn't watching. Lady was in her lap, nearly squeezed to death, and her right ear sopping with tears from where Emma inadvertently mistook it for a tissue.

At least she always had her sweet, devoted, old Lady by her side. Emma wrapped them both in a blanket as she cuddled on the couch and tried to pay attention to the TV and take her mind off _him_.

 _A year ago._ She'd spent the past year of her life falling for Killian Jones. She absentmindedly reached up to hold the sapphire necklace hanging from her neck as she wondered what the next year, a year without him, would look like.

Emma was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a dull thump. She sat up on the couch and looked around the apartment to see if anything had fallen, but found it untouched. She settled back into place, resting her head against the cushions and holding Lady to her chest. A few seconds passed before she heard the sound again, slightly louder this time.

She huffed in annoyance as she paused the movie— _what was she even watching anyway?_ —and waited for it to sound again. When it did, Emma recognized the noise as a soft knock coming from her front door. Her friends typically _banged_ on her door when they arrived, meaning it was someone else, hopefully the Chinese food she'd ordered for lunch. She made herself halfway presentable as she strolled over to answer the door.

Emma yanked the door open, leaning against the frame as she peeked out into the hallway, only to be met with emptiness. She let out a sigh and was about to return into her apartment when a small cough caught her attention.

She slowly turned her gaze down until her eyes landed on the familiar face of a precocious little spitfire she knew all too well.

" _Olivia_?"

* * *

 **See, I told you Emma wouldn't be closing any doors! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for more; we have some exciting moments ahead of us ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Thanks for all the words of encouragement, everyone! There will be two more chapters after this one; lots of excitement ahead!**

* * *

Emma stared down at the little girl in shock for a minute, unable to find any words to express her complete disbelief. _What was she doing there? How did she get there? Why was she on Emma's doorstep? Just…what the hell?!_

"Hello, Emma," Olivia chirped pleasantly as she beamed up at her. "Can I come in?"

Emma's mouth opened, then closed, then opened and closed again as she was stunned at the sight before her. Emma simply stepped aside and gestured for Olivia to enter.

Emma followed after her and stopped at the couch where Olivia had plopped down comfortably and began scratching Lady's ears.

"What are you doing here, kid?" Emma demanded as she crossed her arms over her chest and eyed Olivia skeptically.

Olivia turned her attention back to Emma and frowned. "You haven't missed us, have you?" she asked, her tone a mixture of accusatory and hurt that cut Emma like a dagger.

Emma's shoulders and face fell at the look of pain in Olivia's eyes. " _Of_ _course_ I've missed you. I've missed you so much," Emma expressed as she sat down beside the little girl and placed her arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. "But you can't just show up on my doorstep like this. Where are your parents?"

"I came on my own," Olivia explained with a shrug as she went back to petting Lady. "I know what today is," she added.

Emma gasped in response. "What?"

"Your anniversary with my Uncle Killian— I know today is important, and you two should be together," Olivia insisted adamantly. "I'm here to get you."

"Olivia, honey, it's not that simple," Emma sighed as an understanding smile formed on her face. She was touched by the girl's sweet gesture, despite how misguided her actions were.

Olivia crinkled her face in a frown as she objected. "Of course it is. You love each other. You should be together."

Emma stood up from the couch and scanned the room for her phone. Once she found it, she headed to the privacy of the kitchen to call Olivia's parents. "Listen, kid, I have to get you home. I'm sure your parents are worried," she called back.

"Probably Uncle Killian too," Olivia added.

Emma pursed her lips together and sighed. "Yeah, probably _him_ too," she mumbled to herself.

Worried was an understatement. When Elsa answered the phone of the Jones residence, she was absolutely distraught. Emma could tell immediately from the way she yelled 'hello' in a frantic voice that Elsa had been crying beforehand. Apparently the entire Jones family knew what today was as when Emma explained that Olivia had shown up on her doorstep, Elsa let out a breath of relief and replied, _"The anniversary. She's playing matchmaker. What am I going to do with that girl?"_

Emma let out a small chuckle as she shuffled on her feet and idly rearranged some of the magnets on her fridge. "I'll have her home in an hour," she promised, saying a quick, and somewhat awkward, goodbye, before hanging up the phone.

She held her phone in her hand for a minute, biting her lip as she peeked out to get a glimpse at Olivia. Emma flipped through her contacts until she landed on Kathryn's name and pressed the call button.

"Please pick up. Please pick up," Emma chanted as she paced around the kitchen. She let out a breath of relief when Kathryn answered a few moments later and quickly filled her friend in on the situation.

"What should I do? Killian is probably there with Elsa and Liam? I can't face him," Emma admitted quietly. How could she simultaneously want more than anything to see someone again— see his handsome face, his lopsided grin—but also be completely horrified at the thought of facing him?

"Of course you can!" Kathryn cried on the other line. "Emma, this is your chance. You've been miserable without him. Now you can get him back," she encouraged.

"Kathryn, I—"

Emma was interrupted before she had the chance to explain. "Just drive her home and if he's there, talk to him. It can't hurt, Emma."

 _It could hurt a lot._ "What if he doesn't want to speak to me? I was awful to him." Emma hated how small she felt at the confession, but she couldn't help the crippling fear of not just seeing Killian again, but being rejected by him. She pushed him away first, and he was likely to do it back—he had every right to.

"He made you so happy, Emma. You owe it to yourself to at least try," Kathryn assured with complete sincerity in her voice. "Don't let fear hold you back. Don't let fear take him away for good."

Emma swallowed hard as she reached up to rub her now burning eyes. "Thank you, Kathryn." Emma hung up and the phone and took a few deep breaths to steady her racing heart.

She strolled back into the living room to find Olivia frowning at the pictures lined up along her bookcase.

"All the pictures of us are gone," Olivia noted quietly before turning around to face Emma. "You haven't missed us after all."

Emma's breath caught in her throat. She truly cared for Olivia, and Noah too. The last thing she ever wanted was to hurt them. Emma raced forward and crouched down so she was at eye level with Olivia. She took both of the girl's hand in her own and gave them a firm squeeze as she began. "That's not true. I miss you very much. The pictures were just—they were too," Emma's words faltered as she cast her gaze down to their joined hands, unable to meet Olivia's eyes. "They made me sad."

Olivia nodded in understanding before giving Emma and hug. She almost broke down. _Almost_ , but Emma held firm, determined not to let her walls crack even though her heart was breaking beneath them.

* * *

Olivia gave her absolutely no trouble about going home, clearly eager to enact the final stage of her plan and push Emma and Killian into a reunion.

Emma's knuckles had gone white from where she clutched the steering wheel and fought to remain calm as she drove at a glacial pace to Cape Cod. She glanced over to see Olivia staring out the window, content in watching the scenery change before her eyes.

"How did you hop a ride from Sandwich to Boston anyway?" Emma asked, genuinely curious about how the young girl achieved such a feat. The bus ride wasn't too long, but it did involve some knowledge of the transit, money, and usually an adult escort. Then again, if there was any child who could figure out a way around those obstacles, she was Olivia Jones.

"It was easy," Olivia said with a shrug as she turned her attention to Emma.

Emma huffed and shook her head. "You're a kid. No one stopped you?"

"It's all about confidence," Olivia declared before explaining, "Besides, I always made sure to get on the bus right after a mother and her children so the driver would think I was just another kid following behind."

 _Genius...Devious._ Emma's mouth hung open in a mixture of shock and awe before the tips of her mouth curled up in a proud smile. For all she knew, she was driving the future president of the United States home, or maybe a criminal mastermind. Possibly both.

When they pulled into the driveway, Olivia squealed triumphantly while Emma grimaced. Killian's blue truck was there, which meant that Killian was there, which meant for the first time since they broke up a month ago, Emma was going to see Killian.

Her brief flirtation with courage earlier fleeted immediately at the sight of the truck. "Well, you know the way," Emma huffed as she gripped the steering wheel and _willed_ Olivia to simply rush out of the car and go home.

Olivia shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "You have to come in and at least _see_ him," she insisted as she stared resolutely across the car at Emma.

Emma closed her eyes and gathered her courage as she took calming breaths. Finally, she pushed open the car door and beckoned for Olivia to join her.

Olivia ran inside ahead of Emma, bursting through the door and shouting for all to hear, "Uncle Killian! Uncle Killian! I'm home. Come out here! I brought someone to see you!"

 _Subtle_. Emma groaned as she reluctantly trudged up the walk and climbed the porch steps leading the Jones home.

They were all standing at the entrance of the home: Liam, Elsa, Noah, and _Killian._

Before anyone could say anything else, Elsa rushed forward and enveloped Olivia in a crushing hug. "We were worried sick," she scolded as she stroked her daughter's hair.

"How in the world did you get to Boston, young lady?" Liam demanded with his arms crossed over his chest and a stern expression across his face that made even Emma nervous.

Olivia pulled out of her mother's embrace and placed her hands on her hips. "I used Uncle Killian's ice cream money to get a bus ticket."

Elsa grumbled in anger, and fear, and an assortment of emotions that Emma could only begin to imagine. "You are in so much trouble. I called the police, all the local hospitals, the neighbors. I thought you were hurt!" she yelled, her voice rising higher and higher with each word. She paused to take a calming breath before she addressed her husband. "Liam, talk to your daughter. I need to lie down," Elsa huffed.

Then, the woman turned her attention to Emma and said, in a far lighter and somewhat happy tone, "Emma, thank you for bringing her home. It's so lovely to see you."

Emma stared back in confusion and shock before simply giving her an awkward wave as Elsa rushed upstairs.

The group was quiet for a minute, all of them stunned into silence at Elsa's uncharacteristic outburst. To see a normally quite reserved Elsa express an absolute spectrum of emotions was somewhat unsettling.

Liam cleared his throat and looked down at his daughter. "Come on, lass, let's go," he began before looking down at Noah. "You, run along," he ordered as he gestured for the door. "Don't leave the yard…Blazes, _don't leave the city!_ "

"You have to be together. You love each other," Olivia yelled as her father grabbed her by the hand and led her out of the room.

With that, Noah shrugged, and exited out the front door, finally leaving Killian and Emma alone.

Emma took a cautious step backward and wrung her hands together as she grimaced, all her earlier bravado and desire to set things right extinguished by the overwhelming fear racing through her heart. "I'm sorry, but I have to go," she whispered as she purposely avoided his gaze.

"Wait, Emma, please," Killian begged as he surged forward and grabbed her hand. Immediately, Emma felt a shock, almost an electric rush, pulse through her body at the contact. She hadn't touched him in a month, and even this small gesture— this seemingly insignificant contact— felt like coming home.

They were quiet for a moment, simply standing in the foyer. Killian held her hand firmly in both of his and he gently massaged her knuckles. Emma wanted more. She wanted to hold him, kiss him, never let him go, but she shouldn't. This was too much, too dangerous.

"Are you okay? Are your ribs fully healed?" she murmured, staring down at their joined hands and taking a step closer to him.

Killian followed suit, closing the space between them. She could feel his breath against the top of her head as he answered, sending a shiver down her spine. "Aye, the doctor said they've healed quite nicely."

"Killian I—"

"Thank you for bringing Olivia back. I'm sorry about her showing up like that," he apologized as he cautiously reached up to place his hands on her shoulders before Emma finally gave in, her body acting of its own accord, and melted into his embrace.

Emma nuzzled her head against his chest as a few stray tears fell. "She knew what today was. How?" Emma asked as her voice cracked.

She let out a contented sigh as Killian cradled her head against his chest, stroking her blonde locks and placing a kiss to her head. "She overheard Elsa and me talking," he explained in a whisper as he held Emma tightly against him.

Emma reveled in the moment—the warmth of his embrace, the feel of his body against hers, the comfort of being in his familiar, loving arms again, and…she shouldn't be doing this, _couldn't be doing this_. She broke up with him for a reason. Them, him, it was all too dangerous.

Emma popped her eyes open and wriggled out of Killian's embrace as she fumbled backwards toward the door. "I can't do this. I can't be here with you, with all of you. I'm sorry. I just can't," Emma voice quavered as she yanked open the front door and raced outside.

The tears from before were multiplied now; she could barely see where she was going as she raced through the yard and almost collided with a little figure on account of it.

She halted mid-step just in time to avoid barreling into Noah. She gasped in surprise and quickly reached up to wipe away the tears from her eyes, eager not to let him see her upset.

Noah looked up at her, a small frown on his face as he asked, "Will I ever see you again?"

Emma let out a long sigh as she shuffled on her feet. "I don't know, kid," she forced out in a broken, shaky voice.

The little boy nodded solemnly as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Say goodbye to Lady for me."

She let out a small chuckle through her tears and nodded before turning to head back to her car. Before she got far, Noah called back.

"Emma, thanks for taking me to the museum all those times and getting me ice cream and making Uncle Killian smile."

She stopped at his words and was stunned for a moment as she felt a knife stabbing through her heart. She wiped away a fear more tears before rushing to her car, eager to get away from all the pain, the reminders of a life that could never be hers.

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Liam's words seemed to echo through the empty, mockingly empty, foyer _. What was he doing?_ He was standing there like a _fool_ —alone, broken _again_ —staring at a door, hoping she would come back, knowing that she wouldn't.

Killian let out a long sigh as he turned to see Liam descending the staircase, Elsa following close behind. "She ran off again. I don't think she wants to get back together," he mumbled.

Elsa interjected as she edged off the bottom step and strode over to face him. " _Of course_ she does."

"How do you know?" Killian grumbled.

"We were watching from the top of the staircase," Liam explained with a shrug.

Killian opened his mouth to scold his nosey git of a brother, but Elsa interrupted before he had the chance. "She let you hold her— she was worried about your ribs. She cares, Killian."

"I just don't know," Killian began. "I just think that if she tru—"

Killian was interrupted by the smack of Liam's hand against the back of his head.

"Oi! You bloody wanker," Killian cried as he reached up to rub his sore scalp.

" _Killian Bartholomew Jones_." Liam paused and massaged his temples for a minute.

Elsa stepped forward, letting Liam cool down as she addressed Killian. "She could have sent Olivia home in a cab or simply insisted that I come retrieve her. Instead, she drove all the way out here, knowing you would be here too."

Killian nodded along before grunting under his breath. "That's true."

"She was worried about you—that shows she still has feelings for you," Elsa argued.

Again, Killian nodded as he weakly offered back, " _Perhaps_ , you're onto something."

Liam cleared his throat. After a minute of taking _more than a few_ calming breaths, he was able to continue in a far lighter and more understanding tone, "Go after her, brother. You'll always regret it if you don't."

Killian was quiet as he mulled over the situation. Elsa made an excellent point: there was a strong possibility Emma wanted him back, but she was just too afraid, too unsure to make that final step. She had let him hold her, and bloody hell he ached to hold her again, never let her go. Sure, Elsa could be wrong, but Liam certainly wasn't. If Killian didn't at least try once more to win Emma back, he would spend the rest of his life regretting that he let her go without a proper fight. Every day he would question if there was something, _anything_ , more he could have done to get back the love of his life.

His mind raced as he recalled the advice he'd received from Tina. She was right; what he needed was a gesture, a declaration to show Emma that she wasn't going to lose him—that her fears, though understandable, were misplaced. He needed to show her that he was a survivor, that no matter what, he would be at her side, that he'd go to the ends of the world for her, or time, no question, because—

 _Because she was the best thing that ever happened to him_. When he pulled her from the sea a year ago, he had no idea she was a savior sent to rescue _him_ from the heartache, loneliness, and sorrow that had been eating him alive for years. With her she brought an excitement, a thrill into his life that had been long missing.

She gave him hope— with her tilted smile, the emerald twinkle of her eyes, the sound of her laugh— that there might someday be an end to his lonely nights.

She was a tough lass, fearlessly courageous, taking on criminals without hesitation or worry for her own safety. What made her truly tough was that in spite of all her losses— her parents, guardians, friends, lovers— she always picked herself back up, dusted herself off, and vowed to make tomorrow a better day.

She had her scars. She was always pushing him away, keeping him at a distance, but he'd happily spend the rest of his days battling her walls if it meant a life with Emma.

 _Emma_. She was fierce, determined, a force to be reckoned with, but still soft and caring too. She made him smile, not just with his mouth, but with his entire being, and sometimes he felt as though she was his perfect match, made entirely for him.

 _He loved her, his Swan, and he was bloody going to Boston, for if she'd have him in return, he would make her his Swan forever._

He nodded curtly at Elsa and Liam as he straightened his back, a look of determination on his face.

"I can't very well go empty handed," Killian insisted as he rushed past them and headed to the stairs.

Liam let out a pleased chuckle, clearly proud to have gotten through to his stubborn brother. "Aye, yes, flowers!"

Killian shook his head as he took the stairs two at a time. "I have something else in mind."

* * *

She had soaked through not one but _two_ cushions with her tears. Emma rolled over on the couch and reached for the nearby tissue box. She'd been handed a chance to fix this entire mess, but something inside her simply wouldn't allow her to take it, her redemption, her love, her happiness. She was going to be alone for the rest of her life, and there was no one to blame but herself.

A booming knock at the door pulled her from her sniveling, blubbering, stupor.

"If your name is Olivia or Noah Jones you are in _big_ trouble," she yelled with a sigh as she forced herself from the comfort of her couch and padded across the room.

When she yanked open the wooden door, her mouth dropped as she let out a gasp.

"Is _Killian_ Jones acceptable?" he asked with a cheeky, yet somewhat unsure grin as he cautiously stepped past her and into the apartment.

Emma remained in the doorframe, facing away from him as she quickly wiped the wetness from her eyes and tried to gain her composure. When she finally forced herself to turn around and meet him, she noticed he'd come bearing… _well something_.

"What's that?" Emma asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and nodded down to the shopping bag in his arm.

"An anniversary gift, a promise," he whispered as he handed her the bag.

Emma stared at him for a minute; this was a bad idea and she knew it. Still, her curiosity got the best of her, and of their own accord, her hands were soon delving into the bag to discover its contents.

She plucked out a few empty, wooden frames and instantly recognized them as ones she'd admired at IKEA during a shopping trip with him months ago. "What—"

"They're for you to fill with memories of a lifetime together. Wedding photos, baby pictures, snapshots from soccer games, graduations, and more," he muttered quietly as he shifted on his feet before cautiously stepping forward and closing the gap between them.

"I'm a survivor, Emma. I know I have a dangerous job, but you do too. I'm not going anywhere. I swear it."

Emma suddenly became aware of the fresh tears rolling down her cheek and bit her lip in frustration. He always did this— tear down her walls, leave her bare and exposed. She hated it, but she loved him for it.

"I'm scared," she whispered on a shaky breath as she reached up to dab at her wet eyes.

"I know," he soothed as he ran his hand across her chin and smiled at her.

"But I'm in this for the long haul, which is why," he began with a shaky breath as he took a step back and fumbled inside his pocket.

Emma watched him closely and nearly dropped the bag of frames in her hand when she saw him bend down on one knee before her. "Emma Swan, I would be the happiest man on this Earth if you'd agree to _marry me_."


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: We're nearly at the end, folks. Just one last chapter (the epilogue) after this one. I plan to have that posted later this week! Until then, please enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

By some miracle, Emma didn't faint at his _very_ unexpected proposal. Instead, she simply gawked down at the worn and somewhat tattered black box he held out before her. This was insane. They technically weren't even dating right now, and he was asking her to marry him. _What the hell was she supposed to—_

"I love you," he continued, smiling up at her, clearly trying to keep the fear from his voice, but not succeeding. "I'm never going to leave you, and I'm never letting you go again either."

He opened the box to reveal a modest, but stunning oval cut sapphire ring with two small diamonds bookending the gem along a thin silver band. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the beautiful ring, a symbol of a bright future just within her grasp. All she needed was the courage to reach out and take it.

Emma held her hand back as her heartbeat quickened. "This is crazy," she whispered on a shaky breath.

"Take a leap of faith, Emma," Killian urged as he held the ring up to her, mouth slightly ajar as he waited for her next move.

Emma sighed and wiped away a stray tear as she smiled down at the ring. "A sapphire?"

"My grandmother's," Killian explained before adding, "It has been in Elsa's safe keeping these past years."

Emma quirked an eyebrow as she observed the jewel. She knew the answer, which helped erase any lingering doubts from her mind, but she still needed to hear it from him. "So this ring compliments my necklace…Is that a coincidence?"

Killian answered with a knowing gleam in his eye, "Certainly not."

"You _knew_ back on New Year's?"

He let out a nervous chuckle and shook his head. "Emma, I think I knew you were the one _a year ago_."

 _He meant it._

She could tell from the surety in his voice, the sincerity in his eyes. He _wanted_ her. He had wanted her for a long, long time, and he was still here, fighting for her after she gave him every reason to leave. No one had ever fought for her like that, seen her as someone worth the effort. Now, the devoted and caring man she'd always hoped to find was kneeling before her asking her to _marry_ him.

This _was_ crazy…and impulsive…and rash. She was still worried about his risky job; he'd been seriously hurt, almost killed, and there was always a chance it could happen again. Still, this past month without him had been unbearable. She wasn't the leap-of-faith type; she liked assurances, safety, but almost losing him to the sea, and then ultimately losing him to her mile-high walls had only cemented the fact that over the past year Killian had become a fixture in her life—his presence was necessary for her very happiness and wellbeing.

He understood her better than anyone else ever had; he always had a way of tearing down her walls, but reassuring her at the same time. He made her smile and laugh and feel better about herself than any other man had before him. He'd shown her that she was so much more than just a broken detective from Boston, always keeping people at arm's length. She could be soft too, and she wasn't half bad with kids either. At least, Olivia and Noah seemed to warm to her.

Whenever she was sad or scared he always knew just how to make her day better, whether it was with flowers, dumb knock-knock jokes, or funny anecdotes about Peter. He was both a flirtatious scoundrel and an unsure dork and she loved him, completely, undeniably. She loved him more than she'd ever thought herself capable of loving someone.

Maybe she would take a leap for _him_. Maybe _he_ was worth the risk.

"I'm so sorry I pushed you away. I'm so sorry that I hurt you." Emma's voice cracked and tears spilled from her eyes at the admission. She never wanted to hurt him, not him, not her Killian, but she just couldn't bear being left again and—

"I understand, Emma, I do," Killian assured as he stood up and gingerly lifted her chin until she finally met his gaze—patient, understanding, adoring. He wiped the tears from her eyes and pressed a gentle kiss against the tip of her nose. "I'm not going anywhere. You're not losing me. I swear it," he promised.

Emma's stomach churned as the feeling of guilt overcame her. "I don't deserve that ring. Not after what I did," she winced.

"Don't say that. No one's perfect, Swan, but to me," Killian paused, taking a moment to drink in the sight of her as he smiled. "Well, you come pretty close. We'll work this out."

"I won't ever leave you; I won't ever run away again. I'm in this for good. I promise," Emma vowed as she reached up to brush her hand over his cheek. She'd missed him so much, but that would be behind her soon enough.

"I'll hold you to that," Killian quipped as he leaned forward to capture her lips in his. They melted into the embrace, getting lost in the feel of each other. Emma had missed those lips, his taste and scent. She pulled away feeling invigorated and happier than she'd been in a long time.

"I love you," she announced, barely aware as the words slipped out of their own accord. She instantly felt lighter, a massive weight and burden lifted from her spirit at the words. The last time she said them, she was scared, hurt, ready to run, but now they were so different, not a curse but a promise.

Killian's expression faltered as he stared back at her skeptically. "You don't sound too unhappy this time."

Emma sighed as she gazed back at him. He always put up a cheerful, strong exterior and sometimes Emma forgot that underneath it all, Killian had wounds too. She reached forward, placing her hands on his cheeks as she stared deeply into his eyes. "I'm not. Not at all. I love you. I love every part of you. I love your big heart. I love your dorky jokes and your obscene innuendos. I—," she paused stealing her gaze away to try and form her thoughts. "Well, I'm not good with words like you are," Emma admitted with an unsure shrug. "But I want you to know that I love you, and I've never been happier than I am right now."

Killian swallowed hard and stared down at their feet as he wiped away a stray tear, clearly overwhelmed at her words too. He straightened up, meeting Emma's eyes and sighing nervously. "Then, what you do you say, love?" he asked as he gestured to the ring in his hand.

She gave him a shy smile back as she bit her lip, "We can't get married."

His face fell at her words and his skin paled as if he'd been hit by a truck, prompting Emma to quickly explain. " _Right away_." She let out a nervous laugh as she cautiously extended her left hand. "Kathryn, Mary Margaret, and Ruby will need time to plan a wedding."

Killian chuckled and sighed in relief as he carefully took her hand in his and slid the sapphire onto her ring finger, a perfect fit. He brought her hand up to his lips before pressing a kiss against her knuckles.

"Well I said it before, Swan, and I meant it," he began as he glanced up to catch her gaze. " _I'd wait forever for you._ "

Emma smiled back at him before admiring the beautiful ring on her finger— a ring that no matter her fears, his job, or any other obstacles they may face, would stay on her hand, always.

"I won't take you up on that."

* * *

She'd been dreading this day for weeks, but as it always goes, time was against her, and before she knew it, there were only thirty minutes left of her shift. The day had been fairly standard, filled with paperwork, phone calls, and a few interviews with witnesses of a robbery. The time flew by and now she stood in her office filling the cardboard box she'd brought with some of her office supplies and personal belongings.

She was fine. Change was inevitable and though it was scary and somewhat unnerving it certainly wasn't new to a former foster kid like Emma who had spent her youth switching homes far more often than she'd care to count. This was a good change. She was moving on with her life, taking important steps forward. But, in her gut, there was a bitter sting.

She kept reminding herself that she was fine, that this was a good change, over and over, and to her own pride, she held up quite well, packing up most of the office until a lone picture remained on her desk. She stepped forward and plucked the photo from its place as she'd admired the moment captured before her: the day she and David had graduated from basic training. They both looked so happy and young. Her view of the photo was soon constricted from the tears welling up in her eyes as she held it to her chest. That was how David found her a few minutes later: clutching a frame, in a puddle, under her desk.

He plopped down on the floor beside her and shook his head both in understanding and slight amusement. "You really do go to extreme lengths not to let anyone see you cry," he joked as he placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him. "You're going to love working for the Sandwich PD. I just know it."

Emma shrugged in his embrace. She appreciated his efforts; she truly did, but she was unconvinced. She had always worked with David. They made their way through college, studying long hours to earn their degrees in Criminal Justice. Then, they were side by side throughout their time at the police academy, and as soon as they graduated, they became partners on the force. Never apart. Not until now.

"I mean, how could you not?" David continued with a small grin. "The town is called 'Sandwich.'"

Her lip quivered as she tried to steady her shaky breath. "You won't be my partner anymore," she mumbled in a defeated and heartbroken voice.

David took a deep breath and nodded. He carefully pried the frame out of her hand and bit his lip at the sight of the two of them together, finally understanding her tears.

"Emma Swan, you have been my best friend, a sister to me, since high school," he began in a sure voice. "You've stood by me through breakups, new relationships, college, the police academy, marriage, _a child_. All the important moments of my life—you've been right there," he noted, emitting pride and gratitude as he touched on each milestone. Emma nodded along remembering every moment clearly.

"In turn, I've seen you through heartaches and challenges, and finally, the good moments you truly deserve," he smiled at that and turned down to face her, squeezing her shoulder tighter as he continued. "No matter what happens, you will _always_ be my partner."

Emma beamed through her tears, wiping the wetness from her eyes and nodding as she looked up to meet his gaze. "Thanks David."

He stood up and extended his hand for Emma to take. Once she was back on her feet and she'd carefully tucked the picture away in her box, she felt better.

"You know," David began with a small cough. "Killian is the only guy I'd ever let steal you away from me. He's the only one who's ever really been good enough." He paused, quick to correct himself, "Well, no one is really 'good enough,' but he's pretty _close_."

Emma pursed her lips and gave him a skeptical glare. Killian and David had become even closer friends over the past six months since her engagement. "You adore him. Don't even try to play coy."

David shook his head and continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Anyway, Boston is expensive, and if Mary Margaret and I decide to have more kids—"

"You _know_ Mary Margaret has her heart set on _at least_ two more," Emma teased.

David let out a chuckle in agreement as he continued. "We'll have to move away from the city to get a bigger house, and I do enjoy small towns with funny names."

Emma lit up at his words and immediately rushed forward to pull him into a hug. She was silent, searching for the words to properly thank him. He'd been with her through so much pain in her life, a constant, her rock. Now, he was the one pushing her forward and onto a better and brighter future, even if it meant leaving him. She couldn't even be sure if she would be here now—moving in with Killian, soon to be married—had it not been for David's gentle prodding and encouragement along the way.

He cradled her head in his hand and pressed a kiss against her hair before he pulled out of their embrace and briefly turned away from her, apt to avoid getting caught wiping at his reddened eyes.

"Do you remember the first time you had to use pepper spray to take down a suspect?" David asked with a teasing gleam in his eye.

Emma let out a wry laugh and placed her head in her hands. "I've tried to forget _many_ times."

David chuckled as he recounted the now notorious incident. "The wind blew it back straight into your eyes."

"To be fair, I did manage to bring him in successfully," Emma countered before she turned on him. "And, don't leave out where _you_ were during all of this."

"That was a sucker punch. I didn't stand a chance," David insisted as he furrowed his brow and crossed his arms over his chest.

Emma rolled her eyes in response and let out a giggle. "He knocked you out cold. I had to _drag_ you back to the car."

At that, they both erupted into laughter, clutching their sides as they recalled one of their first days on the job.

"It's a miracle we made it to today," Emma joked as she wiped a tear, a happy one this time, from her cheek.

"We've had some great moments," David declared as he turned to her and smiled, "and there are still more to come."

Emma nodded in agreement, knowing well that the drive from Boston to Cape Cod was manageable; she'd made the trek countless times now. She would still see David all the time, just not at work.

They continued to reminisce about their time together on the force, rehashing old stories the other had nearly forgotten. Emma had already finished packing up her office, so they simply sat together on top of her now cleared desk and laughed until the clock struck a new hour and her time with the Boston PD had finally come to an end.

Emma slid off the wooden desk and grabbed her box of belongings. She simply nodded at David, not wanting to acknowledge her last moment, as she turned to leave. Once she reached the doorway to her office, she stopped and turned back to him. "Did you go ahead and request time off for the wedding?" she asked, before continuing with a cock of her eyebrow. "I know it's not for a while, but you _are_ walking me down the aisle."

David pursed his lips, his mouth forming a tight grin as he swallowed hard and rubbed at his wet eyes. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, partner."

* * *

He wasn't sad, not exactly, but there was definitely a cutting sense of finality as he packed away his belongings and watched as his once warm home turned into a boxed up, empty house. The entire process was quite overwhelming. He started by packing away his office, taking extra care when stowing away his prized Han Solo action figure and cherished baseball signed by none other than his beloved Red Sox.

Over the course of a couple short weeks, other rooms were emptied, his plants, including his Chia rabbit, were carefully moved.

Eventually, the day had arrived for their great move to a new, shared home. Emma's apartment had already been emptied and her belongings moved to their new place just a few minutes' drive from Killian's current house. She was due to arrive soon to help him finish loading up his car with a few boxes before they met the movers and some family at the new house.

While he was still alone, Killian took one final walkthrough of the home he'd lived in for many years. He said his private farewells to the bedroom he'd once shared with Milah, then braved alone, and ultimately opened up to Emma. He peeked into his upstairs bathroom one last time, reminiscing about the disastrous wallpaper and admiring the paint job he and Emma had undertaken. He finally found himself in the nursery, the room now missing its signature bunk beds, which were carefully stowed away in a moving truck on their way to his new home in case, _in hopes_ , that he would need them for his own family someday.

He brushed his hand against the wall, the yellow paint reminding him of the journey this room had taken. Once an empty space he and Milah had relegated to storage use. Then a nursery full of hope and happy times. Soon though, tragedy struck, and he found himself slipping out of his cold bed with Milah to come and sit in the decorated, but piercingly quiet, nursery, admiring the new, never-to-be-used toys and watching the moonlight illuminate the walls as tears slid down his face.

He emptied it after she left, and it remained that way for a long while, until one morning he finally decided to bring the room to life again and dedicated it to his niece and nephew.

He couldn't help but feel that the room and its ever changing state perfectly mirrored his own life in this house.

"Are you okay?" He flinched in surprise at the sound of her voice and turned around, giving Emma a sheepish nod in reply.

As soon as he faced her though, admiring the gleam in her emerald eyes, the sapphires adorning her neck and finger, all sadness at leaving the house vanished. She'd given up a job she adored where she worked side by side with her dearest friend. She'd left behind her treasured apartment, a great size in a brilliant location in Boston all to move here with him, start a life with him, a life that he very much looked forward to living.

"You know, I'm going to miss this old house," he noted thoughtfully as he crossed the room to meet her. "I had some bad times here with losing the baby and Milah," he paused as the memories flooded him. He soon perked up though as he met her gaze. "But, there were some great memories here too," he added as he nodded to her and smiled. He wouldn't have missed the house, not nearly as much at least, if it wasn't for the memories he and Emma had made there over the past year and a half.

"I'll miss it too, ugly wallpaper and all," Emma admitted with a chuckle before taking his hand and slowly tugging him toward the door. "But we have a new house to get to, new memories to make."

He beamed at that, closing the door behind him one last time as the two headed downstairs. "Aye, that we do, love."

Almost all of Killian's belongings had already been taken by the movers to the new house. Emma and Killian simply had to place a few boxes with some breakable, important items in his truck along with Peter and his belongings.

Emma teased Killian relentlessly about the great care he took in tying down Peter's cat jungle gym in the truck bed, but really, it was like Peter's own house. Killian couldn't risk it blowing out of the back.

Finally, after they'd finished loading his truck, they said goodbye to his home and headed off to their next adventure.

As they were turning into their new street, one quite familiar to him, Killian couldn't help but expressing his concern once again. "I don't know how I feel about my brother being within walking distance of us."

"Killian, don't be silly."

"He's going to be over all the time, hiding from the kids, Emma, just you wait and see," he warned as he shook his head.

Emma reached over to take his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I think we can handle anything."

Killian agreed, though with some reluctance. He knew she was definitely right about that; they could handle anything.

The moving process went well, far more smoothly than Killian had nervously anticipated.

With the help of most of their friends and family, except Mary Margaret who was tending to baby James, they were able to get all of their boxes moved and placed in the appropriate room at least. Unpacking would be a _far_ longer process.

There were a few hiccups along the way. Killian had to take a short walk to collect himself after David knocked over his prized ficus, and Emma nearly strangled Victor when he dropped a box of dishes, the sound of cracking echoing through the new house.

After a long day of moving, as his entire body ached, Killian simply longed for bed.

He found Emma in their new living room placing the empty picture frames he'd gotten her on their anniversary along the mantle. They were the first items they'd put up in the new home. A fitting choice.

He smiled as he glanced from frame to frame, more than excited to fill them all one by one.

They headed to bed then, both exhausted from their long day's work. As they crawled into bed together, ready to fall asleep in _their_ home for the first time, Emma whispered sleepily, "Thank you."

"For what?" Killian murmured with a tired sigh.

"For making all of this happen," she explained with an edge of nervousness, but complete sincerity in her voice. "You never gave up on me. You made all of this, my happiness, possible."

Killian shook his head softly and took a deep breath as he responded, "I felt like I was drowning in an inescapable sea of unhappiness, loneliness for the longest time, Emma, that is, until I met you. You think I'm the one who rescued you that night, but you're wrong. You saved me, Emma. You saved me."

He peeked down to gauge her reaction, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he caught her biting her own lip, one of her more endearing quirks.

"Well, we saved each other then," she offered with a yawn as she nuzzled against his chest. "And we're only getting started."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Words cannot express how thankful I am for the outpouring of support and encouragement from all of you, my devoted readers. Of all the stories I've written, I truly feel that I poured my heart and soul into this one, so to receive a positive and excited response from you has been amazing.

Here is the long (about the size of two chapters) epilogue I promised. I hope it ties up any loose ends and brings a sweet sense of closure to this tale. I *may* return to _Search and Rescue_ someday with a follow-up, but I can't promise that. Again, thank you all for following me on this journey.

* * *

Emma awoke bright and early, exactly ten minutes before her alarm clock was due to sound. She sat up in bed and stretched her arms as she yawned and looked about the room. She frowned down at the empty spot beside her in bed, but ignored her worries as she stole herself from its warm confines and forced herself out to the kitchen to grab breakfast. She didn't have much time before her friends would arrive and her busy day would begin. She trudged through the house on her way downstairs and admired the clean, neat rooms. Finally, after far longer than she cared to admit, the final box had been unpacked just two days ago.

She wolfed down a quick breakfast of orange juice and toast, far too jittery to eat anything heavier, as she listened to the faint sound of the TV coming from the living room. She chuckled despite herself. She should have known he wouldn't pass up their reluctant Saturday tradition despite the importance of today.

Emma placed her dishes in the sink and gave Peter and Lady their morning treats before entering the living room and pursing her lips as the sight of her soon-to-be brother-in-law lounged quite comfortably across her couch flipping the channels.

This had become their routine, much to Killian's chagrin. Every Saturday when Liam wasn't working he was on their couch before the two even awoke watching TV and munching on their cereal. He had begun venturing over just two weeks after they moved in, apt to escape Saturday mornings filled with seemingly never-ending kids' cartoons.

Liam looked up, still clad in his rumpled pajamas, as he noticed Emma enter the room. "Here comes the lady of the day. How are you holding up, lass? Are you excited?" he asked with a beaming smile as he sat up and flattened his unkempt hair the same way Killian did every morning.

Emma crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged. "I'll be more excited when Killian arrives _on time_."

Liam huffed and rolled his eyes in response. "I know. I told the bugger to take the day off too. He's stubborn."

"Don't I know it?" They had argued about it for weeks, but Killian insisted with the way his schedule fell that if he worked his shift instead of taking the day off, they'd have one more day for their honeymoon. She begrudgingly agreed with the stipulation that if he wasn't waiting for her when she reached the end of the aisle, they weren't getting married. That threat, no that promise, _should_ get him there on time. She would find out in a few hours.

* * *

He couldn't sit still. Not as they flew through the air at what felt like a snail's pace. He kept an eye on the helicopters clock, the time taunting him. Maybe working today had been a bad idea, but it was too late to remedy that decision now.

Killian poked his head through the two cockpit seats and cleared his throat. "Uh, Tina, is there any way you could go a bit faster?"

She turned to glare at him warningly. "Chief, what do I do to backseat flyers?"

Killian let out a huff as he sat back down in his seat and frowned across the copter at Eric.

"Don't sweat it. We'll get there on time," his friend assured as he gave another blanket to the fisherman they'd just retrieved.

"If we're late, she'll strangle me. She's spent so much time and effort planning today," Killian continued as he wrung his hands together and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. He wasn't just worried about incurring Emma's wrath, though that thought definitely frightened him. Mostly, he didn't want to disappoint her on what was supposed to be their perfect day. Blazes, why was he such a stubborn git?

Once Eric had made sure the fisherman was fine— really he was more upset about the loss of his boat than over anything else— he crossed the copter to take a seat next to Killian. "It'll be fine."

Robin peeked over behind his chair and caught Killian's gaze from the cockpit. "Don't get your knickers in a knot, mate," he urged with a wry laugh as he continued. "We'll get you there on time. Promise."

Killian gave him a weak smile back and nodded as he let out a sigh. "She's just been so hormonal with this whole wedding thing," he explained in a worried tone. "A few nights ago, I woke up to find she'd slipped out of bed. I walked downstairs to see what she'd gotten up to and found her crying in the kitchen because we'd run out of pickles." Killian's voice rose as he recounted the story before he cried in a completely baffled tone, "She doesn't even like pickles!"

"That's normal though, Killian. Women get strange before their weddings," Eric insisted. "Ariel had a bunch of nervous energy before ours. The night before the wedding, she built a miniature replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa out of popsicle sticks."

Killian's face contorted into a quizzical expression. "Why would she—"

"I don't know!" Eric exclaimed as he shook his head in bewilderment. "The best thing to do is just turn around and pretend you saw nothing."

Killian let out a chuckle as he nodded in agreement. "Aye, right. I'll just be glad once we're good and married. Things should settle down then."

The ride back to base was fairly uneventful. Killian spent the entire time on edge, waiting to sprint from the helicopter toward the showers as soon as they arrived. One miracle of the day was that with the timing of their rescue, their shift was over once they arrived back on base, allowing them all to ready for the ceremony.

Once the helicopter landed, Will and another rescue swimmer from their replacement crew met them on the pad and boarded to help the fisherman they'd rescued.

"Get on then," Scarlet ordered as he motioned to the open door. "You all have a wedding to attend. We've got things from here."

Killian let out a breath of relief as he watched Scarlet take charge of the situation. "I owe you one, mate," he promised as he sped off to the showers with Eric trailing behind.

"We'll meet you at the church. Hurry!" Tina yelled as she, Robin, and Smeeson exited the aircraft and headed to change.

He had never shed his gear faster in all his life, whipping off a flipper mid-run as he headed to the locker room. He took care to stow them away properly, but as quickly as possible. Still, the process took up precious time.

Finally, he was in the shower, dowsing himself in whatever bloody soaps and shampoos he could get a hold of. He didn't have much time, but he couldn't very well show up to his wedding smelling like a fish.

"Eric, what if we're late?" Killian called over to him in the adjacent shower.

"We won't be," Eric promised as he shut off his water and leapt from the shower. "Put a towel on. I'll grab the suits. You meet me at the car."

Killian flipped off his own water and gawked at his friend's suggestion. "We can't just—"

"We'll change on the way. You can't be late for your wedding."

* * *

Liam left to head home and get the kids into their formal wear, leaving Emma some time to prepare. She threw up twice, likely due to her jitters, before her friend's finally arrived en masse, ready and excited for the day's events.

A knock on the door informed her of their arrival. When she opened it up, Kathryn, Ruby, and Mary Margaret all barreled into the home, practically shoving Emma out of the way as they chattered excitedly.

Mary Margaret turned around, nearly dropping the white box and dress she held as she observed Emma, her mouth falling slightly ajar. "Emma, honey, are you okay?" she asked, a worried expression pulling at her features as she stepped forward to place her hand against Emma's forehead. "You look flushed."

Emma shifted on her feet and shrugged. "I threw up this morning. I think it's just nerves."

"That perfectly normal," Kathryn promised as she stepped forward for a better look. "You'll feel better after a little food. Don't worry about anything. Today will be perfect."

Ruby nodded in agreement as she chimed in, "Don't worry, Em. I brought all my makeup. I'll have you looking like a super model in no time. Killian will be _drooling_ during the ceremony."

The group burst into a fit of giggles and headed upstairs to begin their preparations. For the next few hours, Emma was plucked, poked, and prodded by the three as her hair was done and her makeup applied. Elsa joined the girls shortly after once she had gotten Liam, Olivia, and Noah—the best man, flower girl, and ring bearer respectively— ready for the event.

Once the girls had deemed Emma's hair and her makeup flawless, they helped her into the much anticipated dress. Emma chose a relaxed and comfortable, but still classic, v-neck cut dress with a sheath body which flattered her slim figure. Her sapphire necklace fell perfectly above the cut of her neck, allowing it and her engagement ring to add a splash of blue to the white attire.

Once she was fully dressed, she observed herself in the mirror, tears threatening to prick at her eyes at the sight.

"No!" all the women yelled in unison as they observed Emma's bottom lip quiver.

"You'll ruin your makeup," Ruby scolded as she rushed forward with a tissue and gently dabbed at Emma's eyes.

Emma sniffled and gave them a sheepish look. "I'm sorry. I promise I won't ruin your beautiful work. I just," Emma paused as she stared back at herself in the mirror. She never thought she'd reach this point: see herself in a wedding dress and about to marry the man of her dreams. "It's just—"

"You make a stunning bride," Mary Margaret praised as she fluffed the bottom of Emma's dress and beamed at her.

Kathryn held up a finger. "You're not finished _yet_ though," she corrected before giving a knowing glance to Elsa.

Then, Elsa stepped forward and produced a small, velvet jewelry box. "Something old," she offered as she took Emma's hand and carefully placed the box in her palm.

Emma's eyes widened in surprise before she carefully opened the lid to reveal a pair of pearl drop earrings. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by her almost sister-in-law.

"These belonged to Killian's mother. I have her engagement ring," Elsa explained holding up her left hand to show the diamond on her ring finger. "I figured it was only fair that you get her earrings."

Emma bit her lip as she glanced up at Elsa. "Maybe these should go to Olivia, her granddaughter."

"Well who's to say she won't have more granddaughters someday?" Elsa countered with a soft smile as she took an earring from the box and placed it on Emma's ear, nodding for her to do the same with its match. Once they were in, Emma peeked back into the mirror and couldn't help the toothy grin that spread across her face. They were perfect, an excellent complement to her dress and sapphires, not to mention, she loved the thought of having Killian's mother involved in their ceremony.

"Thank you so much, Elsa," Emma intoned before Kathryn stepped forward with another jewelry box. This one was clearly new and judging by the brand label, quite generous.

"Here's something new," she informed as she gave Emma the box. Emma peaked inside to find a stunning, ornate silver hair comb with flowers, buttercups to be exact, etched across the sheath.

She could tell by the beautiful shine and the detailed design that it was a costly gift. "Kathryn, you shouldn't have," Emma scolded, though she couldn't help but smile down at the gift.

"You're my best friend, and this day has been a long time coming. You can't blame me for splurging," Kathryn chided as she took the small comb from its box and carefully placed it above Emma's bun. "It looks amazing on you," she noted as all the girls admired the hair accessory.

Mary Margaret let out an excited squeak as she retrieved the white box she'd brought earlier and bounced over to Emma. "Something borrowed," she began as she carefully presented the box. Emma removed the lid and lifted a simple, yet elegant veil from inside. "From my wedding to David. If you want, we would both love for you to wear it today."

Emma wrapped her friend in a tight hug as she accepted the borrowed veil. "Thank you, Mary Margaret. I promise I'll be careful with it."

Once their embrace had ended, Ruby cleared her throat to get the bride's attention. "Something blue is technically covered by your ring and necklace," she noted before her smile turned feral. "But, I had to get you a little something too," she chimed as she produced a small, white satin bag.

Emma cautiously took the bag and quirked an eyebrow as she observed Ruby's mischievous expression. She opened the bag and plucked a baby blue colored, lacey garter from inside.

" _Ruby_ ," Emma scolded as she held the garter on her index finger and pursed her lips in disbelief.

"It comes with one rule," Ruby stipulated as she licked her lips, "Killian has to take it off with his teeth."

" _Ruby!_ " they all yelled in unison before shaking their heads and laughing again.

Still, Emma kicked off her shoe and slid the garter up her leg. They could have fun with that on their honeymoon.

Once she had the garter in place and had slipped on her shoe, she stood up to reveal her final outfit.

"You're all set. Are you ready to go, soon-to-be Mrs. Jones?" Kathryn asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"More than ready," Emma declared as she spun around to face her bridesmaids. "Mrs. Jones," she mused, more to herself than her attendants. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

The heavy, oak doors of the quaint, small-town church opened just in time for Emma to catch a glimpse of Liam smacking Killian on the back of his head. She couldn't help the giggle that escaped as she saw her fiancé frown and reach up to rub at his head. His hair was clearly wet; he'd likely taken a rushed shower and arrived at the church just in time. She shook her head in amusement and beamed down the aisle at the sight of him waiting there in his prim tux with Liam and Eric at his side.

Any nerves she had before this moment were instantly erased as they locked eyes and smiled across the church. David was at her side, faithfully holding her arm and escorting her down the aisle. She could hear him sniffling quietly; he had been struggling to keep his composure in the hall beforehand. She stole her attention away from Killian briefly to scan the rest of the church. To her right, Killian's friends and family were gathered. Elsa was currently pointing between Liam and Noah, silently instructing her husband to keep the kids on their best behavior. Beside her was Ariel, who was bouncing Reed in her lap, quietly trying to hush the squealing toddler. Tina, Smeeson, Robin and his family were there too. The trio looked quite flustered, likely from a last minute dash to the church. Emma felt a twinge of guilt for them, knowing that Killian caused the whole team stress by cutting it close. On the opposite side of the church, Ruth was holding a wide-eyed and excited little James in her arms as she turned around to scold Jim and Victor who were getting into some sort of trouble.

The other faces of coworkers, neighbors, and friends faded away as Emma turned her attention back to Killian. She let out a shaky breath as she reached up, with the hand around David's arm, to clutch the sapphire necklace hanging around her neck while her other held her bright bouquet. David gently nudged her, grabbing her attention. She looked up to see him beaming down at her and give her a small nod of encouragement.

With just a few more feet, they finally arrived at the end of the aisle. David gave her hand to Killian before meeting his gaze, giving him a pointed stare as the two seemed to have a private, silent exchange. Finally, David clapped him on the back and smiled at the two before he took his place as Killian's third groomsman.

Emma stood between her bridesmaids— Kathryn, Mary Margaret, Ruby— and Killian. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. In that moment, everyone in the church seemed to melt away as the two beamed at each other. Emma leaned forward to kiss him, but then pulled back sharply when she remembered they had to wait. He chuckled in response as she brought her hand up to his neck and wiped a bead of water that was rolling down from his nearly soaked hair. Emma raised her eyebrow at him and shook her head.

Killian sighed before leaning over to whisper in her ear, "You may have been right about taking today off work. I'm sorry, Swan."

" _Ehem."_

They both stepped apart in alarm and looked over to see Liam shaking his head in exasperation and nodding toward the patiently waiting priest.

Despite their distracted start, the vows went perfectly and all the bridesmaids and groomsmen were attentive. The only minor incident occurred when their ring bearer, Noah, dropped the pillow holding the silver bands and was promptly, _and loudly_ , scolded by his sister to a chorus of laughter from the attendees. The scene escalated when Liam interjected to chastise Olivia while she was yelling at Noah, only to get scolded by Elsa himself.

Killian let out a defeated sigh at the calamity before him and leaned over to whisper to Emma, "Are you _sure_ you want to join the Jones family, love?"

Emma covered her mouth to hide a chuckle as the scene quieted down and gave him a confident nod.

Once the rings were retrieved and properly exchanged, she heard the sound of sniffling at her side. She peeked around to see not just Mary Margaret, but all three of her bridesmaids reduced to sobbing messes. She turned to gauge Killian's reaction only to find him digging into the breast coat pocket of his tux to produce three small packages of tissues.

She pursed her lips and snatched them from his hand, but she couldn't help smirking at the proud expression on his face.

 _Idiot._

* * *

Killian had to pay the wedding photographer extra to put up with Emma. After the third time the photographer scolded her for getting out of the lineup to try and take her own pictures, Killian had to confiscate her camera and talk down the very annoyed man.

Eventually, after a generous bribe and some patience from all parties involved, they were able to get plenty of pictures of the happy couple and bridal party in one of Sandwich's most scenic parks.

Their wedding reception was held later that evening at one of the nicer hotels in town. Kathryn made all the reservations and dutifully helped Emma settle on color schemes, decorations, and the works. Thank to Kathryn's keen eye, no detail, not even the most mundane, had gone overlooked.

The reception was everything Emma had hoped for and more. The food was absolutely delicious and the cake was amazing, the best she'd ever had. The speeches from the best man and matron-of-honor, Liam and Kathryn, were the perfect blend of moving and funny. Kathryn touched everyone in attendance with her speech on years of friendship and support. Liam went last and by the end of his speech, Emma had never seen Killian blush so hard.

"He really ripped you apart," Emma teased as she leaned up to whisper into his ear from their place at the bridal table.

Killian pursed her lips and shook his head in defeat. "That was the watered down version. Elsa made him cut out a bunch of jokes."

Once the toasts had commenced and dinner was finished, the time for their first dance as man and wife had arrived. Killian knew Emma had been dreading the moment all evening. They may have found their perfect dance partners, but Emma still wasn't the biggest fan of the activity, and she certainly didn't want everyone at the reception watching them.

As soon as they were on the dance floor their song began playing, Elvis' _Can't Help Falling In Love_ , in nod to their very first dance at Kathryn's wedding. Killian pulled Emma close as they swayed back and forth to the music. "Relax, Swan, I've got you," he whispered into her ear.

Emma let out a calmed breath and rested her head against his shoulder, momentarily forgetting the crowd that was watching them. "I'm not 'Swan' anymore, you know."

Killian shook his head and let out a soft, dissenting chuckle in reply, "Oh, you'll always be my Swan."

* * *

After the reception, Killian and Emma rushed home to grab their luggage and drop off Peter and Lady with his brother's family for the week. Killian couldn't help but feel a sense of sweet revenge as he handed over Lady's leash to little Noah and gave Liam a devious wink. His nephew was one step closer to conning his parents into a dog of his own, and Killian couldn't be more proud.

Once they arrived at the airport much later that night, Emma plopped down in the lounge chair and kicked up her aching feet. He'd told her dancing and walking around for hours in those heels was a terrible idea, but she was stubborn and had insisted that her shoes looked 'too stunning' to ditch.

He waltzed over from the ticket desk to the lounge chair where she was currently napping. They'd both be able to recover from their exhausting day soon enough when they boarded, perks of taking the red eye flight. Once he arrived in front of her, tickets clutched in his hand, Killian let out a small cough to wake her, which echoed through the eerily quiet terminal.

He watched her eyes blink open and flashed his best, shit-eating grin as he triumphantly waved two tickets before her eyes.

"What's this?" Emma asked as she sat up and stretched out her arms.

He offered her the tickets before taking a seat at her side and pulling Emma into an embrace. "I did some talking, mentioned the wedding, _accidentally_ let the attendant get a flash of my military ID and they upgraded us to first class," he reported as he puffed out his chest proudly. "Only the best for Mrs. Killian Jones."

"I think you've called me that ten times in the last hour," Emma teased as she nuzzled her head against his chest.

Killian placed a kiss against her hair and hummed. "I like the sound of it." He adored the sound of it. He'd found himself playing around with the sound even before the wedding.

He beamed down at her and couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He'd just married the woman of his dreams, he was about to board a flight to Hawaii, and now he'd gotten his Swan first class tickets. A perfect day.

Their flight began boarding a few minutes later. They were some of the first people on the plane thanks to their upgrade.

Once their carry-ons were stowed away and they were seated in the large and comfortable seats, a peppy flight attended bent down to speak to them. "Champagne for the newlyweds," she chimed as she placed two glasses on Killian's tray table and filled them.

Killian and Emma both exchanged surprised, and impressed, looks before giving their thanks to the attendant.

"Cheers to us then, aye love?" Killian asked with a cock of his eyebrow as he took on glass in his hand and passed the other over to Emma, gauging her reaction.

He guzzled his right down before narrowing his eyes at Emma as she held her glass in her hand untouched. "I don't think I want any right now. I need to sleep," Emma offered with a shrug and an exaggerated yawn.

"You didn't have anything to drink at the reception earlier," Killian noted with a hint of accusation in his voice as he placed his glass down and turned to face her. He had an inkling, more like a shred of hope, before the wedding, but Emma's odd behavior at the reception and now this nearly convinced him that his hunch was correct.

She let out a sigh and rubbed at her tired eyes. She bit her lip and tensed her shoulders anxiously as she whispered back, "We've been a little careless lately."

A million thoughts ran through his head, though none of them were quite comprehensible among the shock. "You're not serious."

"We'll be filling those pictures frames a little faster than you intended." Emma mentioned with a half-hearted, guilty smile as she stared back, waiting for his response.

Killian's mouth hung open as he stared back at her, completely stunned. "Bloody hell."

She let out a shaky, panicked sigh. "Are you happy?"

Killian perked up at that, reaching over to take her hand in his before bringing it to his lips and pressing a firm kiss against her knuckles. Was he happy? What a silly question. _Of_ _course_ he was happy. He'd wanted a family of his own for so long, and it would be perfect now that he was starting that family with Emma. Sure, they hadn't planned on having kids for at least a year after the wedding. They'd already agreed that they needed to save up and replenish their bank account. But none of that mattered now. All he cared about was Emma and his child—his family.

He stared back at her with the brightest, most sincere smile as he said, "My dear Swan, I'm the happiest man on earth."

* * *

Emma had always found doctor's offices unsettling, and despite the efforts of the physician and her nurses, Emma couldn't help but feel anxious as she lay against across the examination table, shifting uncomfortably on the thin paper beneath her. A squeeze of her hand pulled her attention away from her itchy cover.

"Don't be nervous, Swan. It's alright," Killian assured as he rubbed his thumb across her hand.

She let out a sigh and leaned back, trying to calm her nerves. Somehow this particular visit made everything seem much more real. Before she could respond to him, the doctor rushed in, offering apologies. Apparently another mother went into labor unexpectedly that morning, causing all of her appointments to be delayed.

Soon, Emma's now protruding belly was covered in cold gel as a probe was placed against her abdomen. She and Killian peered up, hands still held tightly, at the monitor. Both squinted, trying to find their baby and make out its sex.

The doctor stared at the monitor intently for a moment before turning to face Emma and Killian. "I'm picking up two heartbeats," she explained.

They were all quiet while they processed before Killian yelled out, " _Our baby has two hearts?_ " in absolute horror as his eyes nearly popped from his skull.

Emma was too stunned to laugh, instead she squinted her eyes to stare back at the monitor, watching as the doctor pointed out two figures.

"Your baby has a twin," the woman explained patiently as she smiled at Emma and Killian. "From the looks of it, you'll be adding two _daughters_ to your family."

They were both too surprised to say much during the rest of the appointment. Emma asked questions, wondering if she needed to adjust her diet or regime since she was now expected _two_ babies.

Killian didn't speak up much until they were both seated in the car, staring ahead of them in the parking lot.

Emma's mind was racing as she absentmindedly reached down to rub her swollen belly.

"Could you imagine it: _twin girls_?" he mumbled as he finally turned to her and reached across the console to place his hand over hers atop her stomach. He stared down at her belly and shook his head in a mixture of awe and defeat. "They'll be just like Olivia, but even feistier with _you_ as their mother."

Emma gawked over at him as she let out a chuckle. "What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded as she shooed his hand away.

"We are in so much trouble," he croaked as he reached up to run his hand through his hair and rest his head against the steering wheel.

Emma leaned back in the seat and erupted into a fit of giggles. "These little girls are going to completely own you."

* * *

Killian had a thrilling job, one full of adrenaline and rush, but never before in his life had he ever felt a greater sense of thrill, fear, excitement, anxiety, and every other emotion rolled into one than when he found his brother waiting for him on a helipad after an especially exhausting mission.

" _Emma's gone into labor. You have to get to the hospital. Now."_

" _She's not due for another week."_

" _Well you're more than welcome to explain that to my nieces when they arrive in a few hours."_

What happened next was a blur. Not even on his wedding day had Killian moved so fast. He took the quickest shower of his life, not wanting to look affright when he first met his daughters. He sped over to the hospital and sprinted through the halls until he finally arrived at the pristinely sterile room where Emma was waiting.

David was standing out in the hall, ready to meet him.

"How is she?" Killian asked between pants as he tried to catch his breath. He shifted on his feet to peak over David's shoulder and try to glimpse into the glass window of the hospital room door.

"Doctor says it'll be a few more hours."

"That soon?" Killian blurted in a moment of panic.

David narrowed his gaze toward Killian. "Well, yeah," he began with a shrug. "This is happening."

Killian looked away and nodded, lost in too many thoughts to count. "Thanks for rushing her to the hospital, mate. I owe you one."

David folded his arms across his chest and frowned toward Killian. "What's wrong?"

He let out a sigh and scratched his ear as he whispered. "Dave, how did you know you would be a good father? How did you know you were ready for James?"

His friend let out a deep chuckle and shook his head in laughter. "I didn't. No one 'knows.' You just have to figure it out as you go."

"Yeah, that's what Liam said too. He said I'd be fine, but he's my brother. He has to say that," Killian explained.

"You just have to believe," David encouraged as he clapped him hard on the back and gave him a small shove toward the door. "Now go. Good luck."

Killian took a deep breath to settle his nerves as he carefully pushed open the door, eager not to disturb Emma as she rested—well, tried to rest. "You made it," Emma exclaimed with a sigh as she leaned against her pillows and reached her hand out to him.

Killian crossed the room in a few strides and took her hand, placing a kiss against her knuckles as he took a seat by her side.

They played the waiting game for the next few hours as Emma's contractions worsened and they waited for the babies to come.

Their family and friends gathered in the waiting room for the arrival of the girls.

Finally, once evening had arrived, the doctor, with much threatening from Mrs. Jones, finally deemed Emma ready.

Emma's eyes widened in horror as she looked from the doctor, now at her feet, to Killian, by her side. She gritted her teeth through the labor pains while she forced out in a pained breath, "What if I'm not a good mother? Maybe this was bad idea." She let out a cry of pain as another contraction hit.

"You're amazing with Olivia, Noah, Reed, andJames. You're a natural, and our daughters will be lucky to have you as a mother," Killian soothed as he sat by her side and took her hand.

Like David said, this was happening.

Killian very nearly lost a hand during the process and was glad for the upcoming paternity leave as his possibly _permanently_ crippled left hand would need days of healing to meet rescue swimmer standards.

In minutes though, as he was whispering words of praise into her ear and wiping beads of sweat from Emma's brow—God, his perfect, brave, fierce, Emma—military requirements were the furthest thing from his mind. All the cared about was making the two squirming, dark-haired girls in their arms happy.

 _Violet and Alice Jones_. They were the two most beautiful creatures he'd ever laid eyes on, and they were going to grow into gorgeous swans just like their mum.

"Can you imagine how different our lives would be if David had checked the weather those years ago—if I'd never sailed into that storm?" Emma asked with a small yawn as the two settled into to the hospital for the night, having already spent their evening mingling with their cohorts and introducing their daughters to their family and friends— _future babysitters_.

He shook his head and smiled in response as he gazed down proudly at Emma and Violet while cradling little Alice against his chest. It was funny really, how what one person called a storm another called salvation. Anyway, that was unimaginable: a thought he didn't care to entertain.

"What storm?" he asked with a grin. "All I remember are emeralds and sapphires. All I saw was a fierce detective, a courageous friend, a beautiful wife, a caring mother—all I saw was _you_ ," he mused with a whimsical note in his voice as he rocked Alice in his arms.

Emma brushed her hand gently over a sleeping Violet's forehead as she smiled back at him, nodding her approval at his answer.

They each cradled one of their new daughters as they locked eyes across the cramped hospital bed. An unsaid promise, a moment of understanding passed between them, and they both knew in that moment that no matter what storms appeared on their horizon, they would sail on, just fine, _together_.

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 **All good things must come to an end, so they say. I'm heartbroken to leave this verse, but I'm forever grateful to all of you who made this journey special. Please leave one last review to let me know what you thought of the ending! I'll be back in the future with more stories. Until next time, folks!**


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